


"This isn't a comic book; this is real life."

by thealphadog



Series: An Unlikely Avenger [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers - Freeform, Avengers Family, Continuation, Deception, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Lies, Love, Marvel - Freeform, Multi, Superheroes, Thriller, y/n
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-01-28 13:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12607540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphadog/pseuds/thealphadog
Summary: Ever since the Guardians crash landed on your door step, everything changed.As the clock ticks by, Thanos is getting closer and closer; the gauntlet is practically in his fist already.Have the Avengers bitten off more than they can chew?Or, you go on a trip to space with a certain two demigods, get super drunk and ultimately save a kingdom.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys!! so IM BACK. it hasn't even been that long but not writing this has kinda made my life reaaaaally boring. 
> 
> SO I WATCHED THOR RAGNAROK. AND I HAVE MORE CANON CONTENT TO WRITE ABOUT. WOOOOO. 
> 
> I know the movie doesn't come out in the US until tomorrow but I honestly couldn't wait to write this and upload. so sorry if you have to wait to read this, haha! I'm so excited to start working on this more, honestly.
> 
> anyway, old readers - new readers, I really hope you enjoy PART TWO OF AN UNLIKELY AVENGER!
> 
> (read part 1 if you haven't already cause you will not understand this chapter AT ALL if you haven't lmao)
> 
> enjoy!

The day that Tony Stark barged into your apartment still rang through your mind as clear as day, despite it being over a year since you first appeared on the Avengers radar.

 

You’d grown, in power and intelligence. 

 

You’d loved and you’d lost. 

 

You’d learnt valuable lessons, as well as teaching others the difference between right and wrong- between instinct and paranoia. 

 

The day the Guardians crash landed on your front door step, everything changed.

 

This wasn’t a small fight anymore, this wasn’t New York. This wasn’t Sokovia.

 

This was the universe.

 

Thanos was coming. Whether you wanted him to or not.

 

-

 

“What do you mean Asgard is in trouble?” You yelled at Thor, your stress levels beyond the point of OK. 

 

“When Loki disappeared after the Guardians came, he went back to Asgard disguised as my father.” Thor spoke rapidly while dressing himself in Midgard clothes. He tied his hair back and turned to you. “Asgard is defenceless. He sent my father somewhere and I need to find him.” 

 

“I thought Loki was trying out this ‘turning a new leaf’ business?” Thor scoffed at you.

 

“He will always be the God of Mischief, (Y/N).” 

 

“That, I will be.” The familiar voice of Loki entered the room slowly, strolling around with his hands behind his back smartly. He looked different somehow, in the months that you hadn’t seen him his face had transformed into that of a wise old man. A wise old man with an eye for tricks. 

 

You frowned at him. “What? Not happy to see me?” A black suit sat on his frame squarely, and you looked at the two brothers in turn; you’d never seen them in Midgardian clothing. You shut your eyes, and in that moment, you found yourself wishing that Banner was here. 

 

But he wasn’t. 

 

All you remember was waking up to the scream of a man who needed help. Bruce Banner was no longer in the room, instead replaced by his counter part. The facility shook violently as the Avengers tried everything to calm down the old shell of the once proud doctor. 

 

Natasha Romanoff stepped forward, her blue eyes gazed into the never ending abyss of the former Bruce Banner, and she straightened her body as best she could. 

 

“Hey, big guy. Sun’s getting real low.” In one swipe, Nat was thrown across the room and smashed through the glass wall divider. That’s when Steve threw his shield at the beast, but it made no difference to the extreme force that the Hulk exuded; the shield bounced off of his green skin like a child’s toy. 

 

That’s when he flew off into the night, the Hulk having ruined the doctors brain, removing the soothing lullaby from Banner’s head that had worked so many times in bringing him back to us. 

 

“Where is Odin now?” You spoke blankly, your eyes piercing so fiercely through the trickster. But he didn’t have time to answer- 

 

Below his feet, a sparkling circle appeared, casting a faint glow over Thor’s room. Loki squinted at the unknown formation, and then he was gone.

 

As fast as the sparks had appeared, Loki had fallen through the very earth. You dropped to the floor as his black locks were the last thing to be gone, trying so hard to figure out what caused this. 

 

On the ground where Loki once stood there laid a business card. 177a Bleecker Street. Thor sighed, his body huffing even as he zipped up his sweatshirt. “I feel like I’m getting too old for all of this, (Y/N).” 

 

“ _You_  feel too old for this? In Midgard years, we’re the same fucking age.” The prince smiled at that, but his eyes looked tired. You wondered what it must have been like for him to return to Asgard after travelling for so long, only to find his brother had ruined the once proud Kingdom. 

 

Loki had a bad habit of ruining things. And no matter how hard you wanted to believe he’d changed, you knew better. “I need to call Peter.” You slipped your phone from your pocket and clicked 2 on speed dial. He picked up on the second ring-

 

“Hey, you.” You hadn’t seen him in over a month. But you spoke almost everyday. 

 

“Hey, yourself. So, I’m going away for a while.” You could feel the question marks radiating from him down the receiver, but he laughed in response.

 

“A mission?” You stared at Thor; he furrowed his brows back at you.

 

“Something like that.” Peter huffed, his tone changing.

 

“What is it, (Y/N)?” You clamped your eyes shut. You hated scaring him. You hated scaring  _each other_. Whenever Peter went on missions you panicked, and whenever you left he worried. 

 

“Asgard stuff, it’s complicated.” 

 

His disgruntled voice could have split you in two. “OK. Be safe.”  

 

You hung up the phone and turned to Thor. He frowned at you, and then it clicked; “No... no, no. You’re not coming-,”

 

“Why not!” You whined at him, following him out of his dorm towards the kitchen. “Asgard is my home too.” 

 

“I don’t know how dangerous this could get-,”

 

“Which is why... you could use some help.” You poked him playfully in his chest, and he sighed. Tony leaned against the kitchen counter staring at the two of you, swirling the coffee round in his mug. 

 

“I’d just let her, big guy. She’s never gonna let you leave until you agree.” Thor shot daggers at Stark, and summoned Mjolnir in a sulk. The hammer came bounding towards him, and you jumped out of the way as it bombarded into his hand. 

 

“Fine.” He boomed, and you couldn’t help but give yourself a pat on the back. The Avengers were like putty in your damn hands, it was great. “We need to get to 17a Booker Street.” 

 

“You mean 177a Bleecker Street?” He glared at you, snatching the business card from your hand like a pouty child. 

 

“To the map shop.” You rolled your eyes at him as he stomped forward out of the compound. You kept your laughter contained as you got up Google Maps on your phone, running towards where Happy kept his car parked. Thor strolled in a rage behind you. 

 

“Is he always that brooding?” Happy spoke, a smile on his lips. You handed him your phone and he gave you a wink. “Get in, sweets.” 

 

“Come on,  _your majesty_.” 

 

“Enough with this tone, (Y/N).” Thor walked over to the car, grudgingly getting in the back seat and shutting the door. You sat up front with Happy, the way you normally would. 

 

“Bleecker Street? Why’re you guys going to Bleecker-,”

 

“It’s complicated. Just drive.” Thor boomed, crossing his arms and looking out the window annoyed. 

 

You glanced at Happy with a small smile on your lips, he looked back, trying not to laugh. He started the ignition, and you were off.

 

-

 

“This is it.” The two of you stood in front of the large oak doors to 177a Bleecker Street. The building seemed to loom over you, it exuded this aura of presence; it felt dangerous in some ways. 

 

Thor knocked twice- 

 

And then you were both inside. 

 

What? But you hadn’t moved a muscle? 

 

“Whoa...” you regained your balance as you took in your sudden surroundings. The room was dank and dusty, full of glass cabinets with various miscellaneous items. “What is this place...” 

 

You spoke slowly, not even registering the sparks around your feet beginning to whirl faster and faster. “(Y/N)!” Thor made a grab for you, but you were already falling- 

 

You didn’t make a sound as you fell through the air, your hair whipped back off of your face, your body defenceless in whatever realm you’d been transported to. You tried not to think about it, you tried so hard.

 

It didn’t help you.

 

Sokovia was always in the back of your mind. And suddenly you were back there. You were falling alongside the city, with it’s burning buildings and screams of helpless longing. Your head was throbbing, your body was aching; you were useless. 

 

Pathetic.

 

Unhelpful.

 

Undeserving. 

 

“(Y/N)!” 

 

Loki hovered in front of you, trying desperately to fly his body towards yours. He grabbed your wrists and the two of you balanced out. Your heart was beating incessantly, you vision slightly blurring. 

 

You focused on Loki’s face; his nose; his lips; his eyes. Eyes that were full of as much fear as you. Eyes that were ready to hurt someone as soon as he got out of this wind tunnel. “Where’s Thor?”

 

“Hopefully, trying to get us back.” Loki’s hands moved from your wrists to you own hands. You felt his fingers curl around your palms, and didn’t pull away.

 

In any other circumstance, you would have punched him. But this was different; in this realm you were falling forever with no comforts, no home.

 

Loki was the closest thing to home that you had in that place. 

 

As you looked at the prince, you were struck with something you hadn’t felt in a long time; betrayal. Your mind pelted you with questions, each one worse than the next. 

 

Why did he leave?

 

Why did he send his father away?

 

“Why did you do it?” The words tumbled from your mouth against your will, and Loki’s face settled into something more calm. “I thought you were changing.” 

 

“No matter how hard anyone tries, I’m not going to change.” You frowned at him, the rage boiling inside of you. 

 

“So, what? You were always going to leave after we knew about Thanos? You were just waiting for some kind of distraction?” He looked down at the never-ending abyss below the two of you, his eyes not meeting yours. 

 

“I wanted to tell you-,” 

 

“What bullshit are you trying to pull, Loki? If you’d cared  _at all_  about the Avengers or Thor or  _Asgard_  you wouldn’t have gone back. You would have  _stayed_ , you would have made the right decision-,”

 

“Oh, and what? Be an Avenger? Be entirely forgiven by Midgard? ‘ _Remember when you tried to take over our world? Yeah, we forgive you! Come back!_ ’ Is that what you thought the outcome would be?” 

 

You gripped his hands tightly, and your tears cascaded trough the tunnel as if you were in zero gravity. Loki saw them fly, and his face softened once more. 

 

You wanted so badly to dig your nails into his palms, break each of his fingers one by one. 

 

“There is always a choice.” You whispered, and his eyes shot open, wide. 

 

“Not for the God of Mischief.” 

 

That’s when the abyss beneath you changed. A golden spiral opened up, encasing the both of you in the light of day. As you fell through, Loki plunged his torso against yours, wrapping his arms around you and shielding you from the inevitable drop.

 

You opened your eyes to see him on the floor, your body lying on top of his as he grumbled slightly in pain. Looking up, your eyes met Thor’s. He smiled at you a little, though second hand embarrassment covered his face.

 

You came back to yourself then, and squirmed off of Loki’s body, his arms unhinging themselves from around your waist. Fast walking over to Thor, you stood up as straight as you could, despite hiding your face as you felt your cheeks flush neon red. 

 

Loki groaned as he got up from the ground, his eyes hitting those of the man standing opposite Thor. “Do you  _know_  who I am-,” he flicked two knives out from his sleeves, but the man simply waved his hand once, and they clanged to the floor. 

 

You stared at the man in front of you, squinting. You recognised him; he had one of those faces- except, this was a face you’d seen on the cover of Forbes. 

 

“Stephen Strange.” 

 

“Ah, you’ve heard of me?” He smiled like he was being photographed, his cape straightening itself on his back. He came forward, jutting his hand out for you to shake. 

 

You hesitated away from him, furrowing your brows. “You just transported me to a falling realm. I’m not going to shake your hand.” He curled his fingers away and frowned.

 

“Yes, well. Precautions.”

 

“Precautions? What, I’m more dangerous than Thor?” You scoffed and crossed your arms. Loki glared at Stephen, his mind obviously imagining several different ways to decapitate the ex-neurosurgeon. 

 

Stephen hummed, looking at each of you in turn. “Hmm, whatever. Anyway- back to Odin.” He circled his hand elegantly, and the sparks appeared once more, creating a vortex. “Norway. That’s where he is.” 

 

You strolled towards the vortex, your eyes wide- on the other side was the view off a cliff. You could smell the sea air, feel the wind as it blew through the grass tufts. “Now I’d love to stay and chat but I have other things to do- Ta ta!” 

 

In one swoop, the vortex moved, shoving yourself, Thor and Loki through and closing up immediately after. You hit the ground with a thud, and Thor landed on top of you, his elbow hitting your ribs and winding you completely. 

 

The two brothers stood up, surveying the area. “Come on, (Y/N).” Thor spoke, and started walking around his surroundings. You stayed on the ground, clutching your ribs and trying to balance out your breathing. 

 

Who knew that Thor could take someone out just from falling on them? 

 

Loki loomed above you, a grin stretched all over his face. You scowled at him, and tried to hoist yourself up- unsuccessfully.

 

You bombarded into the trickster god as a sharp pain pulsed straight through your ribs. He gripped your shoulders gently, pushing himself forward to hoist you upright. “Thanks.” You muttered, your eyes staying on the ground. 

 

“Father.” Thor yelled, and you whipped your head around. Odin stood near the edge of the cliff, wearing Midgardian clothes. You and Loki jogged towards the two of them.

 

Your eyes traced Odin’s face- he looked older somehow, his eyes looked even more tired than when you’d last seen him, and even more glassed over. “Father, it’s us. Your sons.” 

 

Odin made no attempt of showing he’d heard Thor speak. “Look at that view. I could stay here forever.” Thor shot daggers at his brother, who looked less than comfortable standing next to his father once more.

 

“Loki, lift your magic.” Thor boomed. Loki simply stared at his brother with bambi eyes, and shook his head. 

 

Odin let out a hearty laugh, and you stumbled backwards slightly. Loki suddenly gripped your wrist to stop you from falling further, and you silently looked him up and down, his eyes looking at his father with a mixture of malice and love. “Loki’s magic wore off long ago. Though it was tough,” Odin turned to his adopted son, a smile stretched over his face. “Frigga would be proud.” 

 

Loki gulped at the floor, his hand still clasped around your wrist. Odin peered out over the wine dark sea, the wind tugging at the four of you in a gentle caress. “Ragnarok is approaching.” Your heart stopped in your chest.

 

“But father, I stopped it from happening.” 

 

“No-,” Odin raised his hand at his son, the God of Thunder. “She’s coming. My first born.” Loki didn’t move his gaze from the sea, but Thor looked at his father was such concern. 

 

It was as if he’d gone mad. 

 

“Hela. Goddess of Death.” 

 

“But Asgard... the kingdom-,”

 

“Asgard is not a place, Thor.” Odin looked at him, his face sullen and calm. A small smile appeared on his lips. “Asgard is the people that live there.” 

 

Loki hadn’t moved since his father had started talking. His hand felt stiff on your wrist, so you slowly put your hand on his. He breathed in suddenly, moving his fingers slightly. “She’s coming. And when she gets to Asgard she’ll be at her most powerful.

 

“My sons,” you felt Loki shudder. “My time is up.” 

 

That’s when he turned his head, his eyes scanning his father up and down so fast that you didn’t know where to look. 

 

You watched in morose silence as Odin’s body became stars, and those stars were etched over the Norwegian skies. 

 

Odin was dead.

 

And Death was coming.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello all. I hope the new readers are enjoying part one, and I hope the old readers liked the start of part two!
> 
> like I said, this fic begins at the start of Thor ragnarok, a few months after part one finished- hope its not too confusing!
> 
> anyway, enjoy! x

You watched as Odin settled in the skies, his aura glowing brighter than any star. You watched as Loki gulped once more, his eyes trying desperately not to overflow. You watched as Thor stood proudly as the new ruler of Asgard, knowing that his father had a good reign. 

 

You watched as a green glow appeared from behind the three of you, and that’s when you stopped just watching, and started panicking.

 

“Thor...” you stuttered. Thor turned round quickly, his eyes taking in the fast forming emerald vortex as it got bigger and bigger, transforming into the shape of a person. 

 

A goddess.

 

“(Y/N), get back.” Loki strolled in front of you, jutting his arm out calmly to shield your body. You didn’t move, though, for you were too encased in her morbid beauty.

 

Hela walked powerfully out of her vortex, her long black hair snaking down her shoulders to the middle of her torso. Her suit glimmered black and green, and repaired itself in front of your very eyes, the fabric seeming to _grow_ from nothing. 

 

But her eyes. Her eyes-

 

They were the same as Odin’s. 

 

So big, so powerful, but with one difference;

 

They craved destruction.

 

She strutted closer to her two brothers, her curves seeming to dance with the wind. Her arms stretched out wide in welcoming, and a sickly smile appeared across her lips. 

 

“Oh great! Daddy’s _finally_ dead,” she stood proudly, and the vortex closed behind her. “Now I can come home.” Her voice was honey-toned but felt wrong, felt fake. Her very being set your hairs on end. 

 

“Hela.” Thor spoke up, holding Mjolnir sturdily in his fist. He took a few steps forward boldly. “Let’s just get this over with-,” Thor whipped Mjolnir round in circles so fast that the hammers outline had all but disappeared. The God of Thunder wielded his hammer with such prowess, and then Mjolnir was flying-

 

It was flying straight for his eldest sister, straight for the Goddess of Death. 

 

Hela smirked as the hammer hurled towards her, and simply thrust her hand forward. You flinched away quickly, not wanting to see someone’s head get bashed in. 

 

But the Norwegian coast stayed as silent as the night. Hela was still standing, her thin grotesque fingers gripping the top of Mjolnir without any difficulty. Thor’s jaw dropped- but, she wasn’t worthy? Was she? 

 

The God of Thunder’s hammer was being held by the Goddess of Death in front of your very eyes. 

 

“Im- impossible...” Thor spoke, his words no more than a hoarse whisper next to the aura that Hela was emitting from her very body, her stance, her pure and utter _power._

Your mind immediately focused on something else to drown out the shock. A month after Stark had come to your apartment, you had been in chaos- your photo was plastered on every news channel, every front page of every newspaper, and they were all asking the same question;

 

_Who is she?_

 

The turmoil you’d felt; the stress of having people worldwide know who you were; the fact that you were still keeping all of it from your foster family- it was all too much to bare. Not to mention that you weren’t speaking to Peter after Tony told you he was Spider-Man, after realising that he’d lied to you for years. 

 

You seemed to find some kind of calm when you were with Banner, some kind of hope that it would all blow over. The way he could be himself, his intelligent, caring self while also doubling up as something so hateful, so _angry_ \- you knew he was a good person.

 

Drinking coffee, you sat with the doctor in the kitchen of Stark Towers. He was telling you about New York, and you were listening to every word intently. 

 

It’s weird to think that only eleven months after that chat you’d come face to face with Loki himself. 

 

“Doctor Banner,” Thor appeared round the corner, and you tried not to stare at him. This was the third time you’d properly met him, but still your heart felt like it would fall out of your mouth whenever you did. “Stark wants you in the suit room.” 

 

Banner immediately got up, apologising to you with his gaze. You waved him off, and the God of Thunder milled about the kitchen as you tapped your coffee mug awkwardly. “So...” he began, and he swung Mjolnir around like it was a toy, like it wasn’t a dangerous weapon. 

 

“In mythology, the God of Thunder is worthy to wield the hammer of Thor.” You looked from him to the hammer and back again; Thor smiled, looking smug. 

 

“Yes well- that’s me.” He poked his own chest in self appreciation and you couldn’t help but laugh. “Thor Odinson, the one and the only.” 

 

“Point break.” You said suddenly, and tried not to scoff as Thor’s face dropped into an annoyed frown. 

 

He stomped forward and sat in Banner’s seat, placing Mjolnir on the table in a huff. “Don’t listen to that Stark, he likes to talk down to me so he feels better about his own abilities.” He waved his hand towards the suit room and scoffed to himself, leaning his elbows on the table.

 

Your eyes hadn’t moved from Mjolnir since Thor put it on the table top. The markings were intricate and complicated, yet beautiful. The hilt was woven and sturdy, and the hammer itself looked worthy of any God, especially the God of Thunder. “It’s called Mjolnir.” 

 

“Mol-near?” You spoke, wondering what the hell it meant in Norse. 

 

“Only those that possess the power of Thor can wield the hammer. It’s one of the most dangerous weapons in the universe.” 

 

You looked at Hela as she grasped the hammer, your heart beating so fast you were afraid it was going to flatline. She smiled at the three of you, before her hand tensed even more.

 

Your mouth dropped open-

 

Small, thunderous cracks appeared on Mjolnir at the top and branched out like roots, surrounding the entire hammer-

 

“Get down!” Loki yelled, grabbing both you and Thor and pushing you to the ground, just as the hammer exploded with the loudest bang you’d ever heard. Shrapnel fell from the sky, you could taste the electricity in the air. 

 

A side glance at Thor was all you needed to see; Mjolnir was gone; completely destroyed; forever. Hela grinned, her face appearing sunken in the dwindling light and looking almost ghostlike; she was practically glowing. 

 

“To utter the words of my dear brother; ‘let’s just get this over with’.” Slowly, Hela traced her hands over the top of her head, a helmet of black horns appearing from thin air. She held her fist up high, then swooped her arm down- 

 

A dark, black blade was suddenly in her gripped in her bony fingers.

 

You took a step back from her, closer to the cliff edge. At this point plunging into the sea didn’t feel like such a bad idea...

 

Everything moved in slow motion as she started sprinting towards the three of you, her face still plastered with a grim smile. None of you moved, but you watched as Thor tensed his fists and steadied his breathing. Loki, however, had the expression of an afraid child. 

 

“Take us back!” The trickster yelled at the sky, and suddenly you were encased in the Bifrost.

 

“Loki- no!” Thor boomed, flying up into the tunnel along with you and his younger brother. As the lights swirled around your body you weren’t focused on approaching Asgard; you were looking below you-

 

A spider snaked up the tunnel with you, her black eyes piercing you with such force, her green veins pulsing with the need for power, the need for blood. Hela was in the Bifrost, and she was heading straight for her old homeland- the place she was most powerful. 

 

You were silent as Loki grabbed you by your waist and hoisted you closer to him and Thor, the Bifrost still moving you all so swiftly towards the kingdom. Hela didn’t stop, though; you could sense her power increasing the further the Bifrost flew. 

 

Hela lunged towards Thor, her hands gripped around his neck and pushing him back against the Bifrost walls- they crackled like diamonds, like minerals in the ground sprouting a thousand colours of shrapnel. You were useless; the harder you fought against Loki’s grip to help Thor the tighter and higher he flew you both. 

 

“He’s your brother!” Your voice cracked as you cried out at the trickster, and watched in adrenaline filled shock as Thor was plunged out of the Bifrost, his body falling through the cold vacuum of space. 

 

That’s when you screamed.

 

And he let go-

 

Your hands crawled round Hela’s neck, her skin burning your hands, but still you didn’t let her go. Your fingers tightened around her as you thrust her into the Bifrost walls; her black horned helmet melting back into her body. She let out a noise, and for a split second you thought she was crying out in pain;

 

She raised her head, her eyes full of something inhuman; something dark. Her laugh echoed through the light tunnel, even when she threw you so easily through the crystal walls of the Bifrost and out into the darkness of space.

 

Her laugh was still in your head as you fell through the silent abyss, uncertain where you’d end up. You held your breath, and the cold stung your entire body.

 

Perhaps you would die here, surrounded by nothingness.

 

You almost laughed at the fact you were once again on the brink of death while falling through the air, like a flightless bird, your powers defenceless against this atmosphere. 

 

And as you entered the atmosphere of some unknown land, the only thing going through your mind was Peter-

 

“OK. Be safe.” 

 

That’s when your body hit the surface, your very being feeling like it had been crushed into dust;

 

Your eyes only seeing blackness;

 

Your heart ceasing to beat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao its 2am where I am right now but FUCK IT IM POSTING A CHAPTER. hi if youre new here I suck at posting chapters weekly or on a schedule. I kinda just post, like, whenever. I suck. 
> 
> anyway enjoy !!!

“A Midgardian? We haven’t had one of those for years...” 

 

Your head pounded in your skull.

 

“She fell from the sky, Sir...”

 

Your limbs felt like they’d snap off of your body at any second.

 

“She looks a bit scrawny, though...” 

 

Yet your ears were scooping up noise miraculously. 

 

How were you alive? 

 

You flinched your body and suddenly everything hurt- everything. You let out a scream in agony, and your eyes shot open. As you caught your breath and tried not to move, you scanned the faces looming above you.

 

The man had an odd face, and was wearing metallic make up over his bottom lip. His robes looked royal and his eyes looked relentless. The girl next to him, however, looked different. Her eyes dug into yours in a way that told you everything would be fine, despite her menacing exterior and the half drank bottle of alcohol in her hand. 

 

You’d not got used to the fact that aliens looked like humans, but you knew for certain that these two were not from Midgard. 

 

“Oh, god,” the man hunched his body and looked at you like a wart on the bottom of his foot. “Yeah, you’re broken. Fully broken.” He clicked his fingers twice and suddenly you were surrounded by women in golden scrubs.

 

“What’s going on?” You croaked, but the pain was far too much for you to keep talking. You’d never felt pain like this before, like your whole body was cracked and bruised and burning. Like you were, well, fully broken. 

 

“Don’t worry, boy. Just- try not to move.” He frowned at you like you were something icky on a sidewalk.

 

“Boy?” You shot out, immediately tensing your body after to stop the impulse of stabbing sensations running through your limbs. 

 

The man shrugged off your outburst, moving around your body mysteriously. “Despite Sakaar being, well, a literal pile of trash, I happen to know some experienced fixers.” 

 

Fixers? Was that just a shit word for doctor? 

 

“Sleep now, boy,” you couldn’t fight against the flow of gas that plummeted down your throat, and the last thing you saw before blacking out were his eyes;

 

They were full of money.

 

-

 

“You seem like a gentleman of certain prowess,” the Grandmaster sat happily in his throne. Loki stood smartly in front of him, surrounded by various party goers all drinking and dancing in wild fun.

 

“Well, you could say that I suppose.” His trickster eyes twinkled, and the Grandmaster smiled in response. He clapped his hands suddenly and shot up from his seat, opening his arms wide at Loki in response. 

 

“I think I can come to some arrangement with you...” The Grandmaster turned round to his right hand woman, grabbing something from her hands. Loki gulped as he waited patiently, the first time he’d probably ever waited willingly for something. The Grandmaster had a reputation; he was someone who could make life hell if you weren’t lucky.

 

Though, Loki was too.

 

But this planet, this place; it seemed to call out to him in an inviting way, filling him with visions of living in peace, partying whenever he wanted to, screwing with whoever he wished, and living as a free man- a man that no one knew was the God of Mischief. 

 

The Grandmaster lunged himself back round, two tall drinks held in his hands. He grinned wildly, passing one to the prince and clinking their glasses together theatrically. “Welcome to Sakaar,” he gulped his drink down in one, and Loki did the same, the sickly sweet liquid falling down his throat and making him immediately more at ease. 

 

The Grandmaster propelled his arm onto Loki’s shoulder and gripped it tightly. “Come on, I’ll get one of my favourites to give you the tour. You’ll have to share a room for a night or so until I have things sorted, but you don’t seem like the kinda guy to mind that.” He patted Loki’s chest jokingly; the prince didn’t know whether to laugh in response or be smug that his reputation was already this big on his first day.

 

Loki looked in awe as he was lead through the winding room of people; they were dressed in odd clothes, some were in armour, others were in ball gowns, but all of them were most definitely drunk. 

 

“Just thought I’d mention, that time on Sakaar runs-  _unsmoothly_...” 

 

“Unsmoothly?” Loki repeated, his brows low in confusion. 

 

“Unsmoothly.” The Grandmaster said, and then the conversation was finished. He exclaimed suddenly, and wrapped his arms around someone on the dance floor as Loki watched, his hands resting behind his back. 

 

The Grandmaster spoke to ‘his favourite’ for a few minutes, before the two of them faced the trickster. “This- is (Y/N), Sakaar’s lucky charm.” 

 

You looked Loki up and down, your mind not fully registering that it was him in front of you as you swayed and tried to keep yourself on your feet. 

 

A drink balanced precariously in your hand, and your hair fluttered down your body haphazardly, but still with a tinge of elegance. You were wearing metallic make up, similar to the Grandmaster, and your dress cascaded to the ground gracefully, despite the fact that you were so far from graceful. 

 

You were drunk. 

 

Beyond belief. 

 

“How do you do, handsome man?” You stuck your hand out to Loki clumsily, and had to steady yourself. The Grandmaster laughed with you as you leaned back into his grip. 

 

“This little piece has been here for a month, and since then my warrior hit every other contender outta the whole ball park!” 

 

“A month...” Loki whispered to himself, so quietly that it was drowned out by the crowd.

 

You cupped your face and fluttered your eyelashes at Loki melodramatically. “I’m his lucky charm!” 

 

“(Y/N)-,” the prince muttered, his eyes scanning you with so much concern that you frowned at him suddenly. 

 

“What’s wrong with you?” You leaned forward to him, scanning his face up close and squinting at him. You clicked your fingers in his face and giggled at yourself. “I know, it’s because you don’t have a drink!” You jutted your drink out in front of him, and added in a clumsy whisper. “It’s OK, we can share.” You winked, and Loki gulped.

 

“Give him the tour, will you, (Y/N)?” The Grandmaster smiled as you bowed to the trickster theatrically. Loki was so astounded that he found himself laughing, despite the fear he was feeling at seeing you this way. You, who was so intelligent, so smart and powerful, reduced to a flirting, drunk mess under the thumb of the Grandmaster.

 

A month on Sakaar? How had (Y/N) managed to stay here for a whole month without Loki knowing? 

 

Time runs unsmoothly on Sakaar- that’s what the Grandmaster had said. Jesus, Loki hadn’t fully understood what he meant, but now he did. Time didn’t have the typical Midgardian, or even Asgardian, rules. It was totally unconventional. And (Y/N) had got caught up in the crossfire. 

 

“Come on then, handsome man,” you grabbed Loki playfully by his arm and tugged him though the crowded room, leading him to a corridor jutting off of the main throne room. 

 

Loki looked you up and down, his mind trying to think of how he’d begin to explain the entire situation. You looked so different; your face was sunken yet beautiful, the metallic gleaming make-up seeming to bring out your eyes even more so than when they were normal. Loki had seen some beautiful women in his lifetime, but out of the eight billion people on Midgard he had to admit; you were probably the most beautiful in his opinion. 

 

As if he’d tell you that, though. Not in a million years.

 

“(Y/N)-,” you burst through one of the doors. The walls were lined with bottles and bottles of alcohol and other liquor. You danced around the room like you were a five year old at a theme park. Drunk you was as giddy as a small child, as giggly as any teenage girl and as beautiful as the Asgardian sunset. How is it that even intoxicated she looked good? Loki thought, but frowned at himself. 

 

This wasn’t right- at all. He needed you to snap out of it. 

 

“The Grandmaster said I can help myself to this whenever I want. Even the super expensive stuff- god, you need to try it-,” you grabbed a dusty bottle and popped off the top.

 

Loki stepped forward suddenly, coiling his fingers round your wrist slowly. “Maybe you’ve had enough for now, (Y/N)?” You looked at him like he’d offended you deeply, and your first instinct was to fight back. You shoved his hand off of yours and went to take a gulp- 

 

But Loki wouldn’t let that happen. 

 

He wrestled with you for the bottle, and it was thrown to the floor, smashing on impact. For a second the both of you stared at it, letting the silence creep back in after the crash from the glass. That’s when you got angry. 

 

“Why did you do that!” You screamed, and started thumping the trickster in his chest in some attempt to make up for wasting 1000 year old alcohol. You stomped your feet and even tried to jump on the prince as he stood calmly, his face blank. 

 

Loki’s head was spinning, despite his slated exterior. This couldn’t really be (Y/N), could it? A month of hardcore drinking would be enough to drive anyone to be a different person, but a month of hardcore Sakaarian drinking? She was an entirely separate person to herself. And she didn’t look like she’d turn back to normal anytime soon. 

 

He thought hard about what to do, all the while keeping his body up as (Y/N)’s personal punching bag. One thing was certain, she still hated him while drunk.

 

_She still hated him while drunk._

 

Loki suddenly grabbed both your shoulders, shaking you a bit. You stopped hitting him, and stared at him with tired, raging eyes. “Do you know who I am?” He demanded.

 

“Yeah, you’re the dick that just broke-,”

 

“ _Do you know who I am?_ ” He shouted, louder this time, and you stopped in shock. That face; that voice; why did it sound so familiar? 

 

But still nothing. 

 

You shook your head at him suddenly and shrugged him off of your shoulders. “What’s your problem-,” Loki didn’t even think when he leaned into you, praying to any god that you wouldn’t permanently damage him after this-

 

His hands grabbed your face, and in one motion his lips were flushed against yours. Your eyes stayed wide open as he kissed you, and you traced over his face; his eyes were closed, his expression was sunken. 

 

Wait, what?

 

Who- was this?

 

And why had you seen that face before? 

 

You were stood on a balcony, overlooking a beautiful land, when he suddenly shimmered into existence. 

 

You were sitting on a sofa surrounded by friends, when suddenly his laugh echoed throughout your head- when he turned the corner you ceased to breathe. 

 

You were sitting on a bed with him next to you, his face sunken and full of concern, his eyes staring at you like he cared-

 

Fuck.

 

Loki.

 

In one swoop your first collided with his cheekbone, and he was flown to the side of the wine cellar. You yelled as the pain pulsed through your knuckles, but not before the anger was truly within you- 

 

“What the actual fuck, Loki- are you fucking kidding me?” He couldn’t help but smile as you frantically wiped at your lips in some attempt to turn back time. “You’re disgusting, you’re repulsive- never come near me aga-,” 

 

His arms wrapped around you suddenly, encasing you in a hug that you’d never experienced before from anyone, let alone the God of Mischief; a hug of relief. 

 

The shock you felt had wiped out any sense of normalcy in this situation, and your limbs found themselves wrapped around him; wrapped around each other. Your mind instantly took you back to the falling realm that Stephen Strange had trapped you in; how Loki had been the closest thing to home in that place.

 

Loki was the closest thing you had to home in Sakaar; in the universe; right now.

 

Your head pounded uncomfortably as the two of you kept embracing, your memories and sense seeming to plunge back into your being. But god-

 

You were so fucking drunk.

 

“I think- I’m gonna throw up-,” Loki unwrapped his arms from you immediately, turning you round and holding you as you bent over, your body trying desperately to expel the toxins from whatever the hell you’d been drinking for the past month. The situations you managed to get yourself into were becoming more strange by the minute, and standing in an ancient wine cellar, bent over about to throw up, with Loki literally _holding back your hair_ , shot straight to the top of your list. “How long have I been here?” you croaked out, your voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

 

Loki held you gently, his hands tucking your hair into the back of your dress and helping you sit down on the ground. He knelt down in front of you, his face the most solemn and caring you’d ever seen it- maybe it was just the alcohol though, showing him in an actual nice light. “A month.”

 

“ _A month_ -,” You choked on your words as they tumbled from your lips, your body convulsing uncomfortably as you tried not to vomit in front of the freaking God of Mischief. You thought back to how you’d got here; how you’d fallen from the sky; how the Grandmaster had fixed you up.

 

Hela- oh god- _Hela_.

 

“Hela- _Thor_ -” you jumped up and Loki gripped you suddenly, his body keeping you upright as you realised the severity of everything once more. What the hell had been in that damn Sakaarian wine?

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa- calm down-,”

 

“ _Don’t tell me to calm down_. I’m _drunk_ , I don’t know where I am, a _month_ has gone by in a blink of an eye, I’m in _space_. Fuck- _I’m in space_...” Loki shut up immediately, the boundary of your anger becoming fully aware to him. You stared at him suddenly, your eyes tracing over the fast forming red bruise on his cheek. You frowned at him, furrowing your brows. “Sorry for punching you.” You breathed out, trying to gage what little composure you had left.

 

You were drunk. In space.

 

You weren’t someone to be messed with right now.

 

“I knew you would.” His smile put you at ease, and for a brief moment the pounding in your head subsided. You imagined a scenario in which you’d leant into him then, and he’d hugged you with such warmth and happiness, with safety. And how he’d lead you back to your room in this god forsaken place and waited with you while you fell asleep, reading a random book from the shelf that you’d never touched, or never even noticed in your intoxicated state.

 

Your imagination wasn’t the same as reality, though.

 

This was Loki, and you were you. You were both stranded on an unknown planet, with Ragnarok approaching in Asgard, with Thor’s whereabouts not being known.

 

You were in deep shit.

 

But that imagination was a small glimmer of light in this whole dark situation; even if it wasn’t real.

 

“I need to sleep. Like, really bad,” You held your head as Loki helped you to the cellar door. You directed him down a different corridor, and he opened the door to the room the Grandmaster had given you. It was entirely golden inside, and lined with walls of shelves with empty bottles of booze, and two lonely books.

 

Loki dropped you on the bed gently, and stood up awkwardly, surveying the room. “This is where you’ve been living for a month?” His frown was enough to tell you that he thought it was disgusting, and you stared at him blankly, taking off your shoes clumsily.

 

“Wouldn’t have been a month if you’d got off your ass and actually come looking for me.” You scowled at him, and he scoffed. He picked up one of the two books and flicked through the pages mundanely. “We need to find Thor.” You added, and the trickster slammed the novel shut. He combed his fingers through his hair and huffed.

 

“I need time to scope this place out first,” He looked around the room once more, his eyes darting from you lying on the bed to the walls. “Maybe it’s not... that bad.”

 

As soon as your head hit the pillow you were ready to pass out. Your vision blurred as you pulled the bed sheets over your body, relaxing your muscles. Loki strolled towards you, kneeling down to face level. He smiled at you, but you didn’t have the energy to tell him to piss off. He was the closest thing to home here, after all.

 

“Goodnight, _lucky charm_.” If you’d been anymore awake you would have taken the smug look off his face, but you simply closed your eyes and began drifting into restless sleep.

 

The last thing you said before your body fully slumped, was directed straight at the prince-

 

“Fuck right off.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello yes I'm still alive. this chapter took me forever to piece together and idk why. writers block??\
> 
> thanks for over 300 hits! I really appreciate the support this whole pic has been getting-
> 
> and if you're somehow here and haven't read part 1 - DO IT! 
> 
> enjoy x

You watched in fear as he stepped out from the large doors. The crowd roared and all of a sudden you were frozen once more; you were watching him battle Ultron at the church in Sokovia; you were seeing him wield Mjolnir in New York, safe and sound in your home in England. 

 

As if things couldn’t get any worse, Loki was sat beside you, his face in a wicked smile. You didn’t have siblings but even so, you doubted you’d be happy right before they were forcefully put in a fight to the death.

 

“Oh my god...” you muttered, and Loki sipped on his own cocktail in cocky silence, his eyes practically rejoicing at the fact his brother was about to get beat up by the Grandmaster’s warrior, whoever it may be.

 

“I know.” Loki chuckled as he reclined back into the sofa, stretching his arms over the back. 

 

But you didn’t notice him, you were far too encased in the crowd booing at the God of Thunder, booing at him as one man in an arena the size of ten thousand men. You furrowed your brows in sadness and couldn’t stop yourself from placing your head in your hands- that’s when Loki stopped laughing. 

 

“Look, (Y/N),” he began, leaning forward, his hand hesitating above your back as if he were waiting to see if you’d burn him upon impact. He placed his hand in his lap. “Thor is a big boy. He can take care of himself.”

 

You shook your head. “It’s not that.” Loki furrowed his brows in confusion, waiting for your answer. You sat up once more, breathing heavily. 

 

“They- they cut his hair.” 

 

Two weeks after Loki arrived on Sakaar, Thor was wheeled into the Grandmaster’s compound. “Loki! Loki!” Thor yelled, trying desperately to get himself out of the chair he was bound to. 

 

Loki strolled over to the Grandmaster and his brother, a smug look on his face. He chuckled to the Grandmaster and crossed his arms. You gulped at him from a few feet away, knowing exactly what he was going to say. “I’ve never seen him before in my life.” 

 

Anyone who knew Loki would know he was lying, instantly. But either the Grandmaster really didn’t know him, or he just didn’t want to believe him. “Great,” his metallic lips spoke, and you found yourself glaring at the trickster. Once again he was letting down his brother, who didn’t know where he was, who was without his weapon, whose homeland was being taken over as they spoke. “Let’s have some fun then...” 

 

You smiled at the Grandmaster as Thor was wheeled away, your eyes tracing over him in apologetic concern. He looked down at his lap and your heart hurt to beat. 

 

When they’d left the room, you grabbed Loki by his collar, forcefully dragging him to the room you unfortunately still had to share with him. “What?” He grinned, pulling the door shut behind him. “Are we having a domestic?” 

 

You circled the room desperately, trying to keep yourself from shouting at him. “How many times are you going to let him down?” All he did was smile as you slumped on the bed. “How many times are you going to let  _us_  down?”

 

“ _Us?_ ” He scoffed, and you lay down in a huff on your back, your legs dangling off the side of the bed. “So suddenly I have a responsibility to  _you_ , now?”

 

You got up so fast you had a headrush. “You have a responsibility to yourself, Loki,” You glared at him, and his face sunk. “It’s your decision whether or not you want to keep any of the family you have.” 

 

“And you count as my family now, do you?” You knew that tone, that desperately angry tone, the one where his brows furrow and his face scrunches up. His defence mechanism. 

 

“In this place, I’m as good as any.” He picked up a half empty bottle and took a gulp of the contents, not knowing what it was. You lunged at him and grabbed the bottle from his hand, pouring some of the liquid on his chin. “You should be  _thankful_ , Loki.”

 

“ _Thankful!”_ His eyes pierced you all the way through. “For what?-“

 

“That I’m even here.” 

 

His head whipped round to you so fast you saw a tear trickle in the corner of his eye. Yours welled as you breathed heavily, trying to calm yourself down. He was an ungrateful bastard, I mean did he really not get that you chose to help? That you went with Thor to get him back? Despite all the shit that he’d pulled on Asgard?

 

“It just so happens that the one person I get stuck in  _space_  with is you, Loki.  _You_  of all the people in the universe. And you don’t have the  _smallest amount of decency_  to be grateful that I haven’t completely ignored you- that I haven’t  _left_  you in some way.

 

That I actually wanted to  _help you_.”

 

He looked down at the floor sternly, before sliding the bottle from your fingers. He smiled; he grinned in the most grim way; and all you could do was stare.

 

“Are you forgetting what  _I_  did? To help  _you_?” He took a swig of the drink, and you watched as it crawled down his throat. “You think I wanted to kiss you on purpose? Your disgustingly drunk and idiotic lips?”

 

All you could do was look at him as he tilted the bottle back once more, draining it completely. Your eyes overflowed then, and he stared at you intensely.

 

That’s when he threw the bottle at the wall, smashing it completely with a loud bang. “I did that- because I care about you!” 

 

You stared at the shards of glass that littered your floor, his words circling your mind and making your chest hurt. Slowly you willed your body to move over to the smashed bottle. You bent down and started picking up the shards, collecting them in your palm calmly, until every piece was picked up. 

 

Loki stared at you in disgust as you wandered back over to him. He looked at the glass in your hands, and slowly you poured every shard into his cupped palms. One of the shards had pierced your skin, but you wiped the small amount of blood off easily. 

 

Loki had lived for a thousand years. He was intelligent, he was strong; but he was irresponsible. He didn’t care about things that required him to stick around. He didn’t care about people who had wronged him. 

 

At least, that’s what you thought.

 

He stared at the glass as it lay in his hands, his mind trying to figure out why you’d given him this mess. 

 

This mess.

 

It wasn’t a mess anymore, because you’d cleaned it up. 

 

He shut his eyes and breathed deeply, understanding what you meant.

 

“Other people can’t pick up the pieces for me forever.” 

 

All you did was stare at him, your eyes looking deep within his. He looked back you, the defensive gates dropping from his gaze with every second the two of you stood there. 

 

So much so that it was too close for comfort.

 

“I’m going to get a drink.” 

 

That lead to you to here- watching Thor being booed by a hoard of Sakaarian people. The Grandmaster sat beside you, his face etched in a permanent smile. 

 

Though you’d been on Sakaar for more than a month now, you’d never watched one of the Grandmaster’s battles. Even in your drunk state you didn’t agree with forceful fighting. “Finally Sakaar’s lucky charm is here to witness my warrior.” He grabbed your shoulder suddenly and you stared at him for a few seconds, before changing your face into a smile. 

 

He smiled back, but you felt sick. 

 

You turned to Loki, his body reclined back into the sofa, sipping on a cocktail cheerfully. In one motion you’d taken the drink from his hand and was downing it all at once. The prince stopped what he was doing and looked at you, his face awestruck. When you were finished you planted the empty glass back in his hand and shuffled on the sofa, crossing your legs and arms in anxiety. 

 

“God, (Y/N). Did Sakaar turn you into an alcoholic?” He chuckled and sucked up the dregs of the drink through a straw. You smiled at him smugly, though your eyes were full of concern for Thor. 

 

“You obviously didn’t notice how much I drank on Midgard.” 

 

The Grandmaster stood up, a small microphone strapped to his head. “Now, I present to you, Sakaar’s warrior...” you had to place your hands on the sofa as you felt the ground beneath your feet rumble. Your powers were flying off the hook, trying to understand what the hell was creating these vibrations of such force. 

 

“ _The Incredible Hulk!_ ” 

 

Your head was bombarded with dizziness, and you found yourself standing up, running to the glass window that looked out over the arena. 

 

The Hulk broke through the large metal doors opposite Thor and roared so loudly that it made your ears ache. The crowd yelled and screamed; they chanted his name; they loved him.

 

They probably wouldn’t love Bruce Banner the same amount. 

 

The Grandmaster’s laughing echoed behind you and your gut dropped. Bruce had crashed here in Hulk form- he’d been the Hulk for more than four months.

 

Loki sat rigidly on the sofa, his hands gripping the fabric of the couch so much that his knuckles had turned white. “I can’t be here.” He muttered, and you didn’t turn around when you replied.

 

“New York.” You spoke, your hands making the window fog up beneath your fingers. Banner had told you of the time the Hulk had beaten the God of Mischief in Stark Towers. It had never occurred to you that Loki might be afraid of him until now. 

 

A bellowing screech came from Thor- and he was grinning so widely that you wondered if he’d already hit his head. “Yes!” He yelled, practically jumping on his spot. That’s when he turned to the Grandmaster’s box, waving playfully. “He’s a friend from work!” 

 

The Hulk’s roar crushed through his happy moment, bombarding the God of Thunder with such force that he stepped back a few paces. You bit your lip; this fight was still going to happen; even if Bruce Banner didn’t want it to. 

 

You glanced back towards Loki, his body still stiff as a board. You grabbed him by his shoulders and hoisted him from the sofa suddenly, dragging him away from the Grandmaster and the window surveying the arena. Your footsteps echoed down the corridor as you dragged the prince along behind you reluctantly. He squirmed in your grip slightly, the fear radiating from his body so intensely. 

 

Abruptly, you stopped and turned to him, staring at him with wide eyes. He looked down at you with a mixture of concern, though mostly fright. 

 

“I need to get down there.” You whispered, and he took a step back, raising his hands up slowly. 

 

“I’m not taking you-,” 

 

“Please. You need to help me.” He crossed his arms in a strop, tapping his foot anxiously on the floor. His inner conflict was raging before you, that he had to decide between helping you and staying safe away from the Hulk. 

 

“What are you even going to do if you get down there? You’ll get the three of you thrown in some Sakaarian jail cell-,”

 

“I need to at least try.” You cut him off, and the after silence was almost unbearable. Loki gulped once, his eyes looking glassy. 

 

He bowed his head, leaning his body in closer to yours and lowering his voice. “Fine. I’ll distract the Grandmaster, make sure he doesn’t suspect anything. Get down to the arena doors that Thor came through. I went down there and visited him a few hours-“

 

“You  _visited_  him?” Loki shushed you aggressively. He sighed.

 

“In shimmer form,” you stared at him, disgruntled. “Get to the bottom floor of this place and turn left. Keep walking until you come to the entrance of the arena stalls. All the other competitors are there. You can get in through there.”  

 

You swallowed once. 

 

You had no idea what you’d do once you got down there, but either way you needed to stop them from killing each other. 

 

This wasn’t Bruce Banner. But he was still in there somewhere. 

 

And for fucks sake, you were going to try and get him back.

 

“Thank you.” You looked at Loki gratefully, and his eyes hit yours with such magnitude and that you couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. 

 

“Just- don’t get yourself killed.” He stepped away from you, his eyes still plastered on yours like you were the only thing worth looking at.

 

His gaze didn’t leave yours, not even after you turned the corner, headed for the arena.

 

Headed for Bruce and Thor.

 

Your friends.

 

Your family.

 

But what was the cost of protecting them both?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys!! the infinity war trailer came out yesterday and i’m dead, truly. i can’t wait till the movie comes out im so scared but so pumped!!!
> 
> anyway enjoy this chapter yeeee

You crept quietly down the corridor, headed towards the grunts of the contenders that the Grandmaster had trapped. It hurt you that Loki had gone to see Thor without you. You didn’t even know if he could shimmer form more than one person, but either way he should have told you.

Thor was probably the most stressed out of all three of you- his father dead, his homeland taken over, his brother not giving a fuck. And now? He had to fight against the Hulk; the alter ego of one of his good friends.

“You know creeping around only really works if you’re paying attention, right?” You stopped in your tracks, your mind fumbling back into focus of the situation you were in. Behind you stood Valkyrie, her armour donned, sword in hand casually. She strolled towards you as you tried to stand your ground, tried to look innocent.

“Creeping around?” You spoke sweetly. You looked around the corridor with wide, fake eyes, and tried to look as if you’d simply got lost. “Is this not the way to the Grandmaster’s box?” She scoffed.

“You’re cute, I’ll give you that.” She sheathed her sword and crossed her arms, strolling closer to you. “But neither of us are this stupid.” You smiled at her slyly, and she smiled back.

“You really think I’m cute?” With that, you thrust one of your arms to the side, and the air crashed into Val, slamming her against the corridor wall. You balled your hands into fists and the metal seal on the walls plunged off and circled her, wrapping around her like a straight jacket.

She breathed deeply as her eyes pierced into yours. Her hair covered her face, she blew away the stray strands. “I knew it. I knew you were different.” You furrowed your brows at her, keeping yourself on guard for any others that could have followed you, or Val.

“Different? Ha, I hadn’t noticed.”

“The way you are with him. How you two were practically friends when he first showed up here. You and Loki.” You stepped back from her. Loki had managed to keep his true identity under wraps since he first arrived here, knowing that at least one person would probably have a problem with the fact he was the God of Mischief.

But Valkyrie knew it was him.

You refrained from bombarding her with the obvious question; how she knew. “We’re not friends.”

She smiled smugly. “Then, lovers?” You frowned at her, shooting her a disgusted look.

“Have fun getting out of that.” You said happily, skipping down the corridor and leaving Val behind.

The grunts were louder now, and you knew that the contenders were right round the corner. Loki had said the doors would be straight through the room. But you couldn’t stop yourself from overthinking.

What if he’d been lying?

What if he wanted you to get trapped?

You shook the thought out of your head as quickly as it appeared. This wasn’t the time to dwell on things that could be true, it was time to find out. You breathed in deeply as you turned the corner to the contenders quarter- your eyes looking out for any signs that someone believed you shouldn’t be there.

You strolled with fake authority, with some unknown confidence that showed everyone around you that you were meant to be there; that you were in exactly the right place.

In front of you creatures of all species loomed around, though most of them were looking through the barred windows leading to the arena;

That’s where Thor was.

That’s where Banner was.

You passed a disheveled shelf piled high with weapons, guarded by a being that resembled a rhino. You tried to keep your cool as you strolled by a group of tall, muscular Krees, their skin a matte blue and their faces in snarls that you didn’t stick around long enough to fully see.

That’s when the large iron doors loomed in front of you, as solid as concrete, the metal glinting at you as if it were laughing at your size, at how weak you were.

“Hey, hey, hey-,” A large hand gripped itself round your bicep, pulling you to the side of the doors. For one moment you thought about fighting back- until you saw who’d grasped you. “Who’re you?”

It looked at you oddly, like it were somewhat human, somewhat kind and caring. But on the surface, it was made entirely of rock from top to bottom, from its pinky finger to the hairs on its head.

This being, this thing.

It could probably crush you with a simple wave of its hand.

“I’m kinda the leader around here.” It removed its hand from you slowly, and its rocky mouth transformed into a warm smile. You scoffed in shock.

“The leader?” You spoke, but frowned after, immediately thinking he’d attack you.

“Yeh. The name’s Korg. I’m made outta rocks, as you can see. Got all my buddies here, too, see,” he gestured to the other contenders staring intently out of the barred windows.

“Hi, I’m, ah- (Y/N).” You smiled back at him, your mind racing. Was this thing actually real? A guy made out of rocks? A nice guy?

His face lifted into a gasp. “(Y/N)? As in, Thor’s friend (Y/N)?” You got in closer to Korg, sternly telling him to shut up with your eyes.

“Please be quiet. Please. No one can know I’m here.” Korg nodded seriously, sniffing and looking around the compound to see if anyone looked suspicious.

“At least you’re not his brother. That guy is a bit of a douchebag.” He jabbered on normally, and lead you to where he’d been overseeing the fight. You smiled smugly to yourself; Loki wasn’t just a bit of a douchebag, he was the whole deal.

You watched as Thor jumped away from one of Banner’s advances, and the green monster simply smiled at the God, his face so full of rage it was as if the doctor was completely gone for good.

“Fuck,” you whispered.

“You got a mouth on you there, Missy.” Korg said, chuckling to himself. “One might think you were a tad stressed.” In one swoop your hands were gripping Korg’s shoulders.

“I need to get in there. And you need to help me.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa- no way. A gal like you? In there? Na-“

“You don’t understand. Please-,”

“No.” Korg spoke up, standing his ground, and suddenly you were all too aware that this guy was literally made out of hundreds of rocks. “Not after my mate Jimmy went in there. Not after he came out with one less arm and four less toes, no more eyebrows and the inability to dance again.” Korg looked at the ground, his hand pressed heavily across his heart.

“I’ll have to do it myself then.”

-

Training at the compound had been one of the greatest experiences of your life back on earth, back before Loki had arrived, that is.

“Come on Spider-Man, I thought you were supposed to be good at fighting bad guys?” It was that time of the week; one on one sparring.

Each of you took it in turns as teams to spar with someone else, and every time you were team captain to one of the teams.

Obviously Tony was the other.

“But you’re not a bad guy.” Peter laughed, sweat trickling down his nose. You scoffed and pointed to the board on the wall, detailing the teams. Above your name was the team title - ‘Chitari’s Angels’.

Above Tony’s team was always the same - ‘Team Billionaire’.

“Last time I checked, we were pretty bad. And by bad, I mean badass.” You lunged yourself at Peter, your fists raised and ready to fight. He blocked your first move, but you clocked him in his ribs while his defence was down. He yelped, and jumped up high over your head, landing elegantly behind you.

“This isn’t a ballet performance, kid!” Tony yelled from the sidelines, the smiles of your team looking smug compared to the slightly despairing and tired faces of Tony’s. This was the last fight of training, and you were exceptionally tired; but you weren’t ready to give up, especially when it was against Peter.

“Go easy on him, Tony. He’s tired.” Rogers spat on the floor and folded his arms. Tony sighed, tapping his foot. The only person you hadn’t beat hand to hand was Cap, obviously, but you’d given him a good go. His jaw looked red and bruised.

“Remember what we talked about, (Y/N).” Sam spoke up, surrounded by the other members of your team. “Don’t over exert yourself when you don’t have to.”

“Oh, I’m sorry? Who’s team captain, Falcon?” You shot Sam a wink and he chuckled. That’s when Peter bombarded into you, swinging you round so you were almost pressed against the floor. But you found a loophole-

Peter had left his right side completely open, and you elbowed him squarely in the shoulder blade, swinging him round on the floor so you were straddling him.

Both your arms had pressed his to the floor, and your thighs were keeping his legs from moving. He was breathing heavily when he tapped out, and you slumped next to him, breathing equally as hard.

“Another win for Chitari’s Angels.” Tony spoke monotonously as you still lay on the floor, Peter right beside you. Your team cheered happily as Sam dished out high fives to Clint, Natasha and Wanda. Tony and his team commiserated once more, and you saw Cap slap Tony on his shoulder affectionately. Peter was still breathing heavily, and Vision looked none the wiser to what had just happened. Bruce sat on the floor at the other end of the room, glasses donned, flicking through a book.

You looked around at them all as they joked and sneered. And something twinged inside of you; these people meant so much to you that you felt like you couldn’t breathe. These people were as good as family, if not more, and it was moments like this that reminded you of how you were literally living inside some other little world.

When you forced open those metal doors that was circulating through your head the whole time. The Avengers, Debs and Jason, Peter and May. The people you wouldn’t have met if your family back in England hadn’t of been such a shit show. The people you wouldn't be associated with if your dad wasn’t some a thousand year old Asgardian.

The crowd went quiet as you stepped out onto the arena, some booed, some shouted; but you ignored them all. Your eyes were plastered on his, his massive bloodshot orbs that you knew belonged to Bruce Banner, even if the Hulk didn’t want to admit it.

“(Y/N)?” Thor’s face had immediately dropped as he rushed over to you. You pushed him off of you and chose not to take in his words of warning, his croaky voice trying and failing to get you to leave.

This was Banner we were talking about, probably one of the best people you knew. Out of all the other Avengers he’d taken the time to be there for you during everything, even though he had his own shit to deal with.

He’d picked you up off the floor calmly and lovingly and reassured you that everything would be OK, despite the green monster that lived within his veins.

“Hello, Bruce.” You spoke loudly, and the Hulk physically flinched. His face scrunched up uncomfortably and you could see the inner conflict raging behind his eyes. Bruce was almost completely gone; and you were going to bring him back.

“Puny Banner,” he spoke coarsely, his voice trying to reassure himself that the doctor still wasn’t here.

That’s when you got angry.

“Sun’s getting real fucking low!” You yelled at him, and the tears overflowed from your eyes as the beast once again blocked out the doctor from returning, the doctor that was one of your closest friends.

You didn’t register the scream coming from your mouth until your hands had circled your body and formed a tornado right in the middle of the arena. Thor fell to the ground, trying desperately to fight against the raging winds to get to you, but you calmly walked through the storm that had surrounded Banner, and then-

All was calm.

Inside the eye of the storm you were safe with him, and he didn’t have the added distractions of the crowd or the Grandmaster infiltrating his mind. You strolled silently towards him as his gaze pierced you all the way through.

His breathing was erratic, but you could have sworn it was slowing down. “Bruce-,” he yelled at you squarely in the face. “It’s me.” You spoke calmly and quietly in some attempt to calm him down even more.

“No-,” he muttered, and his giant fists began punching his own head.

“Stop!” You yelled, and ran at him, jumping up and grabbing one of his giant wrists and pulling it back down to the floor. “Do you remember me?” For a moment he stopped, he listened. “Do you remember the first time I went to Stark Towers and how excited you were- how you were in awe. I thought you were crazy for even thinking I was something amazing,” his eyes dropped to the floor. “Remember when you told me about Loki, and how funny your sense of humour was when you tried to pick up Thor’s hammer,” his eyes scrunched up again, his fists shook. “You need to remember.

“You are Bruce Banner-,”

The next thing you knew, you’d been thrown across the arena like a rag doll. Your body bombarded into the metal walls and slid down to the floor pathetically.

The tornado disappeared as soon as it had appeared.

And all you saw was black.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys, ive had some really horrid family news this past week but I'm still determined to write this. it fills me with joy and means I dont have to worry about things while im writing it, and I'm just so grateful for the continued support you all give me.
> 
> without this story the past few months wouldnt have been as great as they were. the fact that I am constantly brainstorming ideas and basically writing whenever I have a free moment is so thrilling and exciting, so thank you all for making me want to continue this. I want to make it good for you all, thats what I care about.
> 
> thank you so much for 30 kudos and also over 600 hits! that means this series overall has had more than 6k hits in the few months its been out and thats honestly so amazing!!!
> 
> enjoy x

“How could you let this happen?” Peter boomed at Tony, his voice rapidly turning into a coarse whisper from having raised his tone so much. 

 

“You think this was my fault? I didn’t know they’d end up off earth somewhere-,”

 

“You don’t even know where they are, do you?” Tony leaned on the kitchen island and sighed. More than a month had gone by on Earth, and still you hadn’t returned. The Avengers usually didn’t start worrying until a few weeks after a member went on a mission, but you’d all been gone too long.

 

Peter looked at Tony’s expression. “Fuck!” He exclaimed, swivelling on the spot and slapping his hand over his mouth to stop himself from screaming. 

 

Nat strolled up to Peter and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t get yourself too worked up, Peter. If you want to find them we need to be focused.” Nat always had a level head, even in stressful situations. 

 

Cap sighed into his folded arms and glanced towards Tony. “They’ve been gone too long. Something must have happened.” 

 

“(Y/N) said it was something about Asgard.” Tony’s eyes widened.

 

“As in, it’s in trouble?” 

 

“She didn’t say anything else.” 

 

“There’s no way we can get there.” Steve chimed in. Steve was a good soldier, but his timing for words was often wrong. “They only open the Bifrost to Asgardians.” 

 

“There’s no point in us storming the kingdom anyway,” Tony strolled round from the counter, tapping his fingers on his suit cuffs. “We need to figure out what could possibly be happening there first.

 

“And I know exactly who to go to.” 

 

Wanda oversaw the entire encounter and kept it plastered in her mind, her nails half bitten in her mouth. She rushed down the dormitory corridor and entered your room, clicking the door shut behind her.

 

You and Wanda were close, to say the least. You’d both been through a lot, and the two of you understood each other like the back of your hands. Her powers were vast; she could infiltrate minds with ease, make them see things that aren’t really there; or-

 

Relay messages.

 

-

 

The scene was blurry when it appeared, but there you were, standing back in the compound. Peter paced the room, his face bright red and his hands imitating weapons. 

 

“Fuck!” He yelled, and Tony flinched behind the kitchen counter. 

 

They were all there; all the Avengers. Sam stood in the corner, his arms crossed severely. Nat strolled up to Peter and placed her hand on his shoulder, while Cap followed suit and joined the conversation.

 

They were talking about Asgard.

 

They were talking about you.

 

“And I know exactly who to go to-,”

 

“Stephen Strange!” You yelled, but they didn’t hear you, they didn’t even see you whatsoever. “Stephen! Go to him!” They all began leaving the room, their bodies melting into the walls and the scene turning into a blur of an ocean.

 

For a second you were drowning. 

 

And then you were awake.

 

You coughed heavily and leaned on your elbows. Your body ached like nothing else, and your head banged with every blink of your eyes. 

 

You weren’t in the arena anymore, that much was certain. As your eyes came into focus, the room peered into view- in the centre was a giant double bed, topped with some kind of animal carcass; there was no door, just a simple, metal archway; you glanced out of the window and there lay the wasteland that was Sakaar, covered in a glorified dictatorship. 

 

“Gah-,” you almost jumped out of your skin when Thor popped up on the floor beside you. He shook his head violently, and rubbed his eyes. 

 

He stared at you for a few seconds in confusion, until his mind came into full focus. “Gah!” He yelled again, jumping back from you a bit. You grinned at him in amazement, and his arms were wrapped around you in no time. You embraced him back, so glad that he was alright. Your plan with Banner had backfired, but you’d at least tired to bring him back. 

 

“You,” yourself and the god of Thunder gripped tightly onto one another as a booming voice came from across the room. The Hulk sat serenely in a floor built hot tub, his green skin gleaming with chlorine. “Avengers.” 

 

You turned to Thor with wide eyes. “Did- the Hulk just talk?” 

 

“Hulk talk!” He yelled, and chuckled at himself, before getting out the hot tub and showing- literally everything. You suddenly stared at the wall behind him like it was the most intriguing thing in the world.

 

You would never be able to look at Bruce Banner the same way.

 

Never again.

 

Thor smiled smugly, nodding at him.

 

“Men are disgusting.” You spoke blankly. Thor scoffed at you, and got up from the floor, his bones clicking with each movement he made.

 

“Hey, big guy.” The Hulk grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his giant body, then slumped on his bed. Thor approached him haphazardly- he was covered in bruises, a metal shocker attached to his neck. Your head pounded as you tried to remember anything from the arena, after you blacked out. “Are you- alright?” 

 

You scoffed at Thor. The Hulk shot his eyes at you, but smiled. Your heart dropped. “Hulk smash Thor. You explode on Hulk.” He imitated a scene where Thor supposedly exploded, and you furrowed your brows in confusion.

 

“That’s right, buddy. I exploded with thunder, didn’t I?”

 

“You did what?” You yelled, jumping up from the floor and walking towards the two men.

 

“Thor- explode!” Bruce began to breathe heavily once more, his eyes going bloodshot. You raised your hands up to him slowly, giving him calm eyes. 

 

“I understand. Thank you.” You spoke, looking straight into his eyes. Banner was in there somewhere- you knew it. It was just a matter of how to get him back. You turned to Thor, his eyes looking at you up and down. 

 

“Turns out I’m not just the God of Hammers.” He chuckled, and a few sparks appeared from his hands. You stared at him with wide eyes- he’d discovered how to control his powers without help from the hammer. “Anyway- back to you.” Thor sat on the double bed next to the Hulk, and poked his knee awkwardly. “So, we need you to come back-,”

 

“Puny Banner!” The Hulk screamed, banging his chest with both hands. Thor shot back, and chuckled, afraid.

 

“Ha no! I mean- I like you way more than that- Puny Banner. We’re friends. I hate Bruce, he sucks.” Thor stared at you, his eyes demanding you join in. You nodded quickly.

 

“Yeah, Bruce sucks. So bad. He’s all- science this, science that. He’s my least favourite Avenger- ever.” The Hulk looked up from his lap, his eyes piercing through yours with such magnitude you had to gulp down your words that you so badly wanted to say. 

 

Come back, Bruce.

 

“Hulk misses Avengers.” In three words you weren’t scared of him anymore, and a smile wrapped itself around your face so fast you didn’t know what to feel. 

 

“Do you know who I am?” You spoke calmly, and sat down on the floor, crossing your legs. The Hulk nodded once, then looked away from you quickly. You looked at your lap, trying not to cry. 

 

You’d never seen the Hulk like this- so human. He could speak. He could joke. It was amazing. Bruce had been in Hulk form for more than four months, he must have found a way to be less angry after all that time. Not to mention that Sakaar practically praised him like some kind of deity- he was having the time of his life. 

 

“How did you get here?” You asked.

 

“Hangar. Crash.” 

 

After his episode, Bruce had jumped in one the Avengers hangars and flew away. But to space? That was one hell of a ride, even for the Hulk. 

 

Thor’s eyes lit up. “Hangar? Where?” Bruce pointed out of the window, and Thor ran like a child who’d just seen a sweet shop. “Jackpot. That’s our way out.” 

 

The hangar was right there amongst the other wreckage that scattered the grounds of Sakaar, just waiting for someone to power it up again. “What are you so happy about?” The familiar disgruntled voice of Valkyrie hit your ears, and there she was. She strolled into the room and shit a big smile at the Hulk. He grinned deviously, and sprang up from the bed. 

 

You scrambled out of the way as the two of them started play fighting; Valkyrie lunged at Bruce, and he lunged right back. The two of them collapsed into fits of giggles afterwards. “That was some dramatic scenery out there. A tornado?” She smiled smugly at you, you tried not to frown. 

 

“I can’t put my finger on you.” You spoke, getting up from the floor. Val stared at you, her arms crossed. “Why do you choose to stay here?” 

 

“What makes you believe I could fit in anywhere else?” 

 

“You’re a Valkyrie warrior,” Thor chimed in, coming over to join the two of you, his eyes tracing over an ancient tattoo on her forearm. Val’s face visibly dropped, and you could practically see her defensive wall being built. “One of the greatest groups of female warriors in Asgardian history.” 

 

She glared at Thor as if she were imagining spitting his throat. “That’s not who I am anymore.” 

 

“Yet you adopted the name Valkyrie for yourself.” 

 

“I’m sorry- what’s a Valkyrie warrior?” You stepped in between the two of them suddenly, afraid that Val actually would slit his throat.

 

“Years ago Asgard was home to one of the greatest armies of all nine realms- the Valkyrie. They were magnificent, Pegasus riding women. They protected Asgard without fail-,” Valkyrie scoffed.

 

“Obviously we didn’t. They didn’t. They’re all dead.” 

 

“Not you.” He smiled at her sympathetically, but that just made her more angry. The after silence stretched throughout the room, filling you with anxiety. 

 

Your eyes traced over Val quietly; her eyes looked like they’d seen far too much destruction. No wonder she chose to live on a planet where there was limited danger- some place where she fit in to the Grandmaster’s scheme of things- a place where she had people. 

 

A place where she wasn’t permanently reminded about how her friends had all been killed. 

 

“Free power, free booze. Is that what you wanted to hear?” Thor folded his arms in thought. 

 

“She’s back, you know. Hela.” In the blink of an eye Valkyrie had unsheathed her sword and slipped it under Thor’s chin. The whole room froze. 

 

“Don’t.” Was all she said. Thor gulped slowly, his arms raised in surrender. 

 

“I’m not lying. She’s back. She threw us from the Bifrost- she’s in Asgard.” You saw the scene flash in her eyes; Asgard was burning; her friend’s were dying; and at the centre of it all; 

 

Hela. 

 

Valkyrie removed her blade and sheathed it once more, her breathing suddenly erratic. You could see the cogs working in her head quickly, and then she stared at Thor in the eyes. 

 

“Fuck that bitch. She’s going down this time.” Thor’s smile was enough to get your heart racing, and the two of you watched as Val downed an entire bottle of some ancient rum in one gulp. She wiped her mouth and took in a large breath. “Let’s get going.” 

 

-

 

You strolled down the corridor, Val at your side. You copied her strides and she copied yours- you were synced, you were working together. “First; Loki.” You said, and she smiled deviously. 

 

“It just so happens I have him tied up already.” She stopped abruptly in front of a door, and gave you a quick glance before opening up the door. 

 

Loki sat on the floor, tied up in chains, a disgruntled look plastered all over his face. “I found him after the fight got broken up. He was trying to get away.” You stared at him with a mixture of annoyance, but also upset. He’d said he’d help, and he did in someways. But all that was pointless if he was just going to bail on you afterwards. 

 

“Of course.” You muttered, looking to the ground. You couldn’t bare to look at his face just yet. 

 

“Where’s my oh so beloved brother, then?” The prince chimed in, and turned away from him, letting Val explain. 

 

“He’s working out how to get off this planet and back to Asgard,” you could sense Loki’s eyes rolling in his head. “You’re so lucky you have people out there that still care for you, despite your god awful personality.” You scoffed to yourself at Val’s words.

 

But you secretly hoped Loki would hear.

 

“It’s just a matter of time.” The room fell silent as she slumped on the ground, popping open a bottle of alcohol. You sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and staring out of the window in a hope it would give you some kind of comfort, some kind of hope that you’d be home soon.

 

You could feel Loki’s eyes on your back, but ignored him. You weren’t in the mood for a fight, especially after you’d trusted him for those brief seconds, before you entered the arena. 

 

Soon Thor would be back, he’d say the hangar was up and running, and you guys would be able to get out of here.

 

The Hulk was a different story- it was obvious he wasn’t going to change back any time soon. But you saw the way he lived, the way he was treated;

 

He was finally happy. He was surrounded by people who loved the monster he was, not by people who feared him wherever he walked on Earth. 

 

Loki was the same; you knew he liked it here. And that broke you just as much as Banner staying. They were both people in your life now, whether you wanted them to be or not, and they were both in an unthinkable circumstance from what they’d done in the past. 

 

Sakaar could be their home, their proper home. It gave them the lives that suited their characters the best, and you knew that. 

 

Even if it hurt you. 

 

Even if you never saw either of them again after this weird experience; 

 

It would stay in your mind for the rest of your life.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello its me! yes im not dead, though this did take longer than expected.
> 
> enjoy x

Peter sat serenely in front of you, his legs crossed. You’d lost count of how long you’d just been staring at him as the two of you sipped on beers and stared at the view from the fire escape. Nights like this were some of your favourite; your best friend at your side; the Queens skyline stretching out across the entire world.

How long had it been since you’d seen him?

How long had it been since you guys had kissed?

The past year, relationship wise, between you and Peter had been one of the most complicated things you’d ever had to deal with. And for a while you honestly thought that disregarding your feelings and just being friends again would be the easier option.

That was before you realised you didn’t want just that.

You wanted to be able to touch him, and kiss him back. You wanted him to embrace you and hold your waist and be affectionate in public. You wanted people to look at the two of you and think ‘Oh, what a sweet couple’. For the first time in your life, you actually wanted a proper, committed relationship.

And you had a feeling that Peter did too.

But still, things had kept getting in the way –

Peter going to college far away.

The Avengers.

Thanos.

And now?

Loki.

“This guy has some kind of thing for you – don’t you see it?” Peter pelted you with questions as you sat, huffing, on one of the sofas in the compound. You flipped through a magazine mundanely.

“Of course I see it, Peter. He literally wanted to have kids with me. I’m not stupid.” A few months back, just after your birthday, you’d travelled to Asgard to get answers about an odd birthday present you’d received; an Asgardian bracelet.

The trip had accomplished two things; finding your father and having Loki reveal himself to you; neither of which you had expected or actually wanted. Sure, you’d got to dress up all pretty and have your make up done by one of Asgard’s leading female warriors, so it wasn’t all bad.

“Then why do you constantly indulge him?” You stopped flicking through the magazine and dropped it on your lap, staring at Peter and scowling.

“I don’t indulge him,” He crossed his arms at you. “I do what I have to do to get through his god awful conversations.”

“So, joining in is the best thing to do? Flirting back with him, huh?” You shot up from the couch, facing Peter with so much anger that he had to step back.

“Are you – fucking kidding me?” Peter and you had been through a lot in the whole relationship department. Neither of you had ever made the relationship fully official, yet it was obvious the two of you were emotionally invested in each other. “You think I’m flirting back to the man who wanted to kidnap me and have my children? You think I’m flirting with the guy who invaded Earth and tried to kill our closest friends? You’re fucking insane –,”

“Don’t call me insane for caring –,”

“This is more than fucking caring, Peter! This is borderline paranoid!” You zoned out after the brief moment of silence that followed; because then Peter was screaming at you full throttle; yelling so loudly that you were sure the entire compound would think someone was attacking. Your head felt like it was about to explode, your ears popped non-stop, and your heart ached at what this sticky relationship had turned into.

Your tether was fast approaching, and you had to look at the floor suddenly, afraid that you’d end up punching Peter directly in his face if he didn’t stop yelling right at you, if he didn’t get over this weird bout of paranoia.

But he didn’t stop. His voice kept plummeting out of his mouth and surrounding you in harsh bursts, resting on your shoulders uncomfortably, making your heart pound with every breath.

He wasn’t stopping.

He wasn’t stopping –

“I can’t take this anymore!” You screamed to the ceiling, the sky, the whole of New York. And he finally stopped yelling. When you looked at him, his face was a blotchy red, his eyes were full of tears, ready to fall to the floor at any moment.

“What – are you saying?” You crossed your arms as you bit your tongue. Your cheeks were heated as your eyes began to well.

“I can’t do this,” You shook your head quickly, and the tears fell clumsily from your eyes, clattering on the floor. “We – need to take a break.”

Peter gulped silently, his breaths short and harsh. “A break?” He croaked.

“From each other. We’ve been with each other for so long that it’s – suffocating me.”

“Suffocating you?” His eyes overflowed, and your lip quivered.

“Don’t deny you’re feeling it, too. You’re under so much pressure about this, and it’s just – not healthy. For either of us.”

He looked down, his hair ruffled atop his head, his face a peachy red. Nodding once, he stared at you for a few seconds, before fast walking straight out of the compound.   
  
That happened a few weeks before Thor got back from Asgard, claiming something was wrong, that it was in trouble. Almost three months since Loki had become a runaway, and Banner had flown off into the cold vacuum of space.   
  
How things had got like this, you didn’t know. The pressure of life was coming down upon you- hard. And in doing so other things had gone sour along the way. You loved Peter, whether he was your friend or something more, but maybe it was time the two of you faced that in practice, a relationship just didn’t work for you guys.   
  
And that was one of the hardest things you’d ever had to think about.  
  
Even more difficult than falling through the Sokovian skies.  
  
Even more gut wrenching than seeing the Avengers tear themselves apart.  
  
Even more upsetting than being stuck on Sakaar without your family, trying to figure out a way to get home when it seemed all but impossible.   
  
“Change of plans,” Thor burst through the doors of Valkyrie’s room, making you jump straight out of your skin. You saw Loki smile at you, amused.   
  
The prince was breathing heavily, his body still in the doorway, his eyes jutting straight at you as if he were excited, but also incredibly scared.   
  
Doctor Banner walked into the room behind Thor, and you tried so hard not to overflow; but you couldn’t help it. Your body slumped and you spluttered out your tears, your mind cementing the image of Bruce back in your life, his hair ruffled and wearing Stark’s clothes uncomfortably.   
  
He plunged towards you suddenly and wrapped you in an embrace, and then everything felt better, everything felt right. Bruce had always secretly been your favourite, and being without him twice, with no idea where he was or whether he was actually living, had almost ruined you.   
  
“What a beautiful little sob story,” Loki scoffed at the two of you, and you snapped. You removed yourself from Bruce and launched yourself at him, hitting him round his jaw; the noise echoed through the entire room.   
  
“You’re a fucking bastard.” The emotions that you’d bottled up about everything were overflowing and growing monstrous by the second, and worst part of it all was that Loki seemed to revel in it. He loved seeing people distraught, broken, dead; except if it was himself. “You’re selfish, you’re cruel, you’re a coward.   
  
“You’re a child.”   
  
His face turned blank immediately, and a few of your tears dropped onto his clothes, but you didn’t care. He’d reeled you in with the hopes that he’d actually help. He’d brought you back from your brief time of complete drunk ness, he’d saved you from living a delusional life on Sakaar forever. You’d fought and laughed and it seemed like you’d been getting somewhere, anywhere, with him.  
  
But still nothing.  
  
It tore you in two.  
  
Bruce placed his hand on your arm calmly. “He’s not worth it.” You backed away from the prince, a disgusted look plastered all over your face. Thor smirked.  
  
“I was going to throw that can at him to see if he was actually here, but you just answered my question for me. Brilliant.” He patted your shoulder once and you tried not to bite off his hand. When your anger rose it was often difficult to get it back down again; and you were utterly fuming. You turned to Bruce suddenly.  
  
“How- did you come back?” You said, trying to calm yourself down. He smiled sadly.  
  
“Nat,” You opened your eyes wide. On the hangar, Nat had tried to calm Bruce down enough for him to come back to the team, but he’d cut her off. The Quinjet automatically saves recordings and messages sent, so after firing up the jet again Nat’s message must have popped up.  
  
“The jet is completely destroyed, we need other means of transport off this planet.” Thor turned to Valkyrie slowly, and she crossed her arms, a smile brewing on her lips.   
  
“I have an idea in mind.”   
  
The five of you navigated the corridors of the inner city of Sakaar carefully, making sure to double check, even triple check, whether you were being followed or not. When you reached a split corridor, you went with Bruce and Valkyrie, while Thor and his oh so loving brother Loki went the other way. It would be easier to split up in this situation- it made the risk of casualties arising less so.   
  
“Just ahead is the warehouse of ships. The Grandmaster has, well, a large collection of jets.”   
  
“How large are we talking here?” Bruce asked, and Valkyrie just looked at him. They’d been doing this as soon as Bruce walked through the door to her room- just looking at each other as if they knew the other person, but then disregarding it altogether.   
  
“I’d say a hundred, give or take a few.”   
  
“What the fuck...” you muttered to yourself. It was official, the Grandmaster was a dictator douche. You wanted to bet his people would eventually overthrow him. In fact, you almost prayed for it to happen.  
  
“We’re going in by the East entrance. Thor and Loki are going to the West. We’ll meet in the middle and then find the ship we need, hopefully without any interactions.” You nodded at her as the three of you reached a set of large concrete doors- the doors to the warehouse.   
  
Val clicked the button to open the doors and then the three of you burst inside. Immediately, you were caught off guard, as a Kree warrior lunged at you with a staff. You kicked him directly in the ribs and he stumbled backwards quickly, trying desperately to keep himself up. That gave you enough time to glance around you as Val took down two men in one go. Bruce was fighting clumsily with another guard, his punches missing the man that was right in front of him.   
  
You huffed, and raised your arms quickly, and along came the air. It swirled around the guard you were fighting and picked him up from the floor, throwing him over an internal balcony and making him crash to the floor. You turned back to Bruce skilfully, and aimed the air at his guard and whacked him against the concrete doors- he was immediately knocked out.   
  
Val finished up with her two guards and sheathed her sword once more, her eyes peering at you up and down. “Right-,” she spoke, but her lips were curled in amazement as she began to walk on through the warehouse. “They came in through the other doors, so they should be right round here-,”  
  
“Someone! Get help!” Thor’s voice boomed through the warehouse just as you all rounded the corner, and your heart jolted in your chest uncomfortably. Emerging from the elevator you saw him, Loki was slumped to his side, one half of his body being held up by his older brother.   
  
You watched as a few warehouse guards ran towards them concerned, and then it clicked-  
  
Loki kicked one of them squarely in the chest as Thor held off another two. You stayed put with the others, your eyes plastered on Thor as he punched one guard squarely in the jaw.   
  
He finished up fighting, breathing erratically, and turned to his younger sibling. Loki was by one of the main warehouse control panels, his face in a devious smile. “I click this and all the alarms go off.” Thor stayed still, and then his eyes darted to you quickly. What you first felt was relief; but then boiling rage. “Oh, brother, you are so insolent-“  
  
You sprinted stealthily towards Loki, his back turned to you with no idea that you were there, and then he was on the ground. Your legs were wrapped around his torso, your hands held a knife that Val had given you under his chin. You peered into the tricksters eyes, his breathing uncomfortably shallow, his face a simple image of calmness.   
  
“What? Afraid you’ll miss me too much if we’re separated?” You almost spat at him. But you were too busy thinking back to a few months ago- he said he wasn’t going to change anytime soon when the two of you had been in the odd falling dimension Strange had trapped you in.  
  
You hadn’t wanted to believe him; but he’d been exactly right. No matter what, he wasn’t going to change. It would always be a back and forth battle between trusting him and resenting him, between wanting his help and being on the receiving end of his tricks.   
  
“Get up.” You yelled directly into his face, and he did slowly, you still clutched the knife directly at his throat. You grabbed his collar and dragged him towards where the five of you were congregated, your brows furrowed and your nostrils flared.  
  
Bruce looked at you, his smile trying to calm you down inside. Val turned to Thor. “Come on, the ship’s this way.”  
  
“Can’t we choose any ship?” Thor said as you all approached the yellow monstrosity- it was the most psychedelic thing you’d ever seen, and it left a nasty taste in your mouth just looking at it.  
  
“This ones the easiest to fly. It’s also surprisingly fast. Thought we could spite the Grandmaster by taking it, as well.” She smiled smugly.  
  
“Why’s that? Sentimental value or something?”   
  
“It’s his party ship,” Loki spoke up. “You know, like where he gets all fired up- used for orgies and various activities.”   
  
You choked on the air. “Sorry- what? Orgies?” Your body cringed, and Loki merely smiled at you, amused. The one thing that was pressing you though-  
  
How did he know it was used for orgies?  
  
All of you piled onto the ship, and you tried so hard not to touch anything inside. Just thinking of the germs alone made you want to vomit- if someone had a black light you were sure it would look like a Jackson Pollock painting.  
  
You threw Loki down on the floor. “Stay.” You  said, glaring at him. And he didn’t move a muscle. Thor scoffed to himself.   
  
“Well, then,” you joined him, Banner and Val at the ships control panel, the anxiety inside of you suddenly sky rocketing. “To Asgard?” You looked at the God of Thunder. Only now had you really had a chance to see him up close, and you decided that his hair suited him.   
  
It was time to face her; Hela. It was time to make sure that the people of Asgard were safe; were happy; and Thor was so ready to lead them that you wanted to place the crown on his head right then and there.  
  
Inside of your mind you prayed that Heimdall was safe- he’d been banished after opening the Bifrost without permission. You prayed that he could somehow see you all, and see that you were coming for them.   
  
Thor fired up the ship, and smiled at the three of you in turn.   
  
“To Asgard.” 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok I sucked with this chapter - just couldn’t find the time/energy/inspo for it!! but I finally finished - phew. 
> 
> i hope your Christmas was fabulous and have a wonderful 2018!!! 
> 
> enjoy x

“Why do we always have to go on a wild God chase?” Tony muttered through clenched teeth. Him and Peter exited the doors of 177a Bleecker Street and looked far more than dissatisfied.

“We wouldn’t have needed to go on this chase if you’d actually had a handle on where the hell your guys were headed.” Peter stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and slouched on the sidewalk. Tony stared at him from behind, his nostrils flared.

“(Y/N) called you. She called you - and you didn’t think to possibly ask for more information?” Peter scowled at his mentor, his head thumping uncomfortably. Sure, maybe he would have pressed for a more definitive answer as to where they were going if he and you weren’t on a break. You’d told him you’d felt suffocated - isolated - practically drowning being so close around him for so long.

He didn’t want to lose you altogether.

“I shouldn’t have let them leave.” Tony whispered, his head facing the floor. Peter swivelled round quickly, having to comprehend that Stark actually admitted to doing something wrong. “Thanos is getting more powerful by the minute, I should have kept all my guys safe. But I just let them get on with it.” Peter stared at his mentor, a slight twinge of guilt passing through him.

“No - we should have all told them to stay put. I should have told (Y/N) to stay in the compound, or at least to give me updates-,”

“It’s not your fault, kid. They have their own minds, their own priorities. It’s just bad timing.”

The two of them stared at the looming doors of 177a Bleecker Street, and recalled their slightly disgruntling conversation with a one Stephen Strange.

“Tony Stark - I was wondering when you were going to come through my double doors.”

“Yeah, yeah. Lucky you,” Stark picked up a stray object from one of the many shelving units. “We were hoping you knew where some of my kids ran off to.” Peter tried to stop himself from smiling.

“Ah, you mean the Odin brothers?”

“And (Y/N). The girl they came with.” Peter chimed in, coughing a little. Strange looked at him up and down, his eyes full of questions. Tony saw him staring and immediately stepped in.

“Yep, those are the ones. You know rebellious teenage God’s these days, always getting caught up in-,”

“Wanting to destroy the Earth? Yeah, I know just the type,” Strange strolled through the room majestically, his cape trailing behind him wherever he went. “I shipped them off to Norway. Seems the scrawny one had chucked Dad off the thrown. All three of them went through the portal, that’s all I know of what their plan was.”

“Norway?” Peter asked Tony, his eyebrows furrowed heavily.

“Loki.” Was all Tony could manage to say.

Stephen had chucked them out after that with nothing more than a smile. What a douchebag.

It was all coming together in Stark’s mind- Loki had infiltrated Asgard and left Odin someplace else. Thor hadn’t been to Asgard in months, so when he returned it all came out. He’d gone in search of his father, and that’s where their lead ended.

“That’s what he meant by Asgard being in trouble.” Stark paced on the sidewalk.

“But that’s so easily fixed- get Odin back. They’re probably up there on Asgard now feasting about having their actual King back-,”

“No, there’s gotta be more to it.” Stark grabbed his phone from his pocket and began punching in numbers fast. “It’s a good thing I have contacts, kid. Otherwise we’d be toast.” He placed the phone to his ear.

Time was running out.

-

“So what’s our plan exactly?” You asked Thor, who was driving the orgy ship rather speedily into Asgardian airspace.

“There is no plan.” He grinned.

“What?” You yelled, just as he jolted the ship to the right and round the corner to the home strait - Asgard. “You’re not suggesting we’re going in all guns blazing with no tactics?”

Valkyrie came up behind you suddenly, loudly clicking the safety off of a rather large ray gun and loading it up. “That’s exactly what he’s suggesting.” She grinned at the prince and you could of sworn you saw him blush.

“On this occasion I think I actually agree with Thor’s idea of a plan,” Banner chimed in, clumsily walking to the ships dashboard.

“Don’t tell me now you’ve decided to go all goody two shoes, (Y/N)?” Loki slithered up behind you, but you didn’t pull away from his grip on your shoulder. It was strangely comforting.

You breathed in deeply and exhaled. This was happening. You were flying straight into the middle of a battle field, in a ship predominantly used for orgies, with a psycho demigod and his brother, a stranger with a bad addiction to rum and Bruce bloody Banner, in his most useless form for this kind of situation.

How was this your life?

“We’re home,” Thor said, his eyebrows furrowed and his smile wide. “Let’s do this.”

And then you were yelling as the ship plummeted towards the rainbow bridge, where an army was lined up, their eyes all a blazing red and their bodies so zombie like you wouldn’t have been surprised if you were on the set of The Walking Dead.

Hela stood in front of them all, her long hair draped over her broad shoulders, her slender body curving under her aura of power.

And next to her; a fucking big ass dog. And when you say big, you mean big.

You closed your eyes and tried so hard to picture this all as something else. But when you opened them again, it wasn’t any different. This was real; and this was happening right now.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck ...” you whispered to yourself, as Thor parked the ship in mid air above the bridge, close to the Bifrost gate.

“Alright! Let’s go!” He boomed, and pulled open the hatch of the ship in one swipe. He jumped without hesitation and fell all the way down to the bridge, landing with a thud.

Val kicked open a side hatch and aimed her gun outside, her smile stretched all over her face.

Loki approached you, his eyes glassy but his face blank. “I don’t know how to put this,” He began, and you shuddered not just from the fear that pulsed through you, but from how steady and serious his voice sounded. “But- don’t die. Come back alive.”

“Thanks for the tip.” You spoke quietly, his hair flying all over the place as the wind whirled into the ship from outside. It was as if a storm had begun.

His eyes traced your face for a few seconds, and then, as if he’d fallen into one of Stephen Strange’s vortexes, he was gone.

Bruce looked at you from the other side of the ship. Terrified. You stared back at him with the same expression. “Totally not cut out for this, are we?” You smiled at him awkwardly, as he came over and patted you on the shoulder affectionately.

“Absolutely not,” you agreed. You looked out of the windscreen at the battle unfolding below. Thor raged across the rainbow bridge like the god he truly was, his very being summoning the night sky and all her power. It obeyed to his will with no question, even though Mjolnir was long gone. Loki followed suit, juggling with daggers and stabbing anything that moved. You watched as he cloned himself and surrounded a group of twenty or so of Hela’s half dead soldiers; they all fought the wrong version of him; he struck them all down while their backs were turned.

These people; they were fucking gods.

And you were a girl.

To others, you were powerful, you wielded the elements and the very earth obeyed you with every step you took. You had the air wrapped around your pinky finger; the water following you like a leader; the fire burning through whatever you wished.

Yet standing there on that god awful orgy ship, you felt like a five year old.

You thought of Asgard, of the realms that Hela would no doubt destroy if she came out of this battle alive; they were all people in need.

And they looked towards you for help.

You turned back to Bruce.

Were you cut out for this?

Absolutely not-

“But it’s not about me. It’s about them.”

You took in a breath, ditching your jacket on the floor. And then you were falling through the ships hatch, Banner yelling after you.

You landed with a thud, and immediately started running. You summoned the Asgardian oceans below your feet to encase you as you slalomed through the battle, blasting Hela’s soldiers with all you had, their blazing eyes flickering out as you punched, stabbed, fought your way through the very sea of the dead.

Thor and Loki were bunched together, fighting men left, right and centre. It all seemed like it would be too much for just them with the sheer magnitude of the amount of soldiers that were literally pelting at them like bullets, but they simply pushed on forward, the idea of failure not present in their heads at all.

“(Y/N),” a voice boomed from behind, and you swivelled around so suddenly you almost fell off the bridge. Heimdall stood further down the bridge, closer to the Bifrost gate. His hair was long and ruffled, his clothes the complete opposite to the golden armour he used to don.

You’d thought he’d been banished?

You ran up to him suddenly, completely forgetting about the battle raging behind you, and encased him in a long overdue hug. “Where are they all- the Asgardians-,”

“They’re safe. I gathered them all before Hela could reach them. But we must get them to safety.” His eyes were as golden as the last time you’d seen him, and his heart was still the same; too big; too kind.

Thor was holding onto Asgard by a thread; Hela was never going to stop when she was in her home town; she’d never cease the battle when she drew her power from the kingdom.

Your heart pulsed in your body as you thought back to Norway, before Odin disappeared into the sky-

Asgard isn’t a place. It’s the people.

“A people...” you whispered, your hand gripped onto Heimdall’s shoulder. “A people.” You spoke once more, staring him in the eye. His face was blank, staring at you. “Asgard isn’t a place. It’s the people.” And then his eyes burst; the orange glow finally realising what you meant.

You smiled at Heimdall, then your feet were running; they slalomed through the soldiers that tried desperately to bombard you out of the way; you pelted them with Asgardian waves; with Asgardian air; with Asgardian blood; your blood; and their eyes all faded to grey as you got closer to Thor and Loki.

“It’s a people! Not a place!” You yelled as you approached them both, willing your body to keep going after all the energy you’d just used up. Thor blasted three soldiers out of the sky and turned to you, his face stern.

“My god..” he said, his brows raised, his face transforming into a smile once more. “That’s it!” Thor grabbed Loki by his collar quickly and the three of you huddled together; you had a few seconds before more soldiers were aimed at you. “Ragnarok, I thought I had to stop it, but we need to cause it. That’s the only way we can stop her.”

Loki’s eyes sparkled. “The crown,” Thor nodded at his brother enthusiastically. “It’s in the vault.”

“You know how to break in there undetected better than anyone else, Loki.” The trickster nodded, but his eyes met yours.

“(Y/N) comes with me.”

“What?” You and Thor both yelled.

“I might need back up- if there are soldiers inside. You have Valkyrie and Banner.” Thor wasn’t stupid; and neither were you. That whole sentence was a lie; he could handle himself.

But there was no time to fight with him.

You needed to destroy Asgard as quickly as possible.

“Fine, I’ll go, too,” You spoke up, and Loki grabbed your hand. Thor watched as the two of you disappeared into shimmer form, travelling like smoke through the sea of soldiers.

Your body was there on the battlefield; you could see it; sense it; feel it.

But then it wasn’t;

Then it was all gone like a puff of smoke.


	9. Chapter 9

“Whoa-,” you muttered, as your body seemed to appear from nothing once more. Loki still gripped your hand tightly as the two of you shimmered into view. You were obviously inside the palace, you’d seen those walls before. 

 

You were thrust back to the time you came to Asgard to get information, the time you met your father again after years of silence. The moment when you’d first encountered the man who was holding your hand in his. 

 

Loki peered at you for a second as you recalled being on the balcony with him, when he’d appeared in his true form. You’d been terrified; frozen in fear; shaking uncontrollably. 

 

But now you were here with him once more, and you weren’t just standing next to him; you’d been at his side for a few months now; you’d fought and you’d triumphed; and now you were here once again;

 

But you weren’t the same people anymore. 

 

“Come on, the vault’s this way. Keep your eyes peeled for soldiers.” You gulped as you followed the prince through the winding halls of the lower levels of the palace. You’d never been down here before, never even known that they had such an immense tunnel system below the golden floors of the main palace wing. 

 

You passed many rooms, all seeming to jump out at you from nowhere, all seeming to want you to go inside. “There’s magic down here designed to make people lose their way. Keep hold of me, (Y/N).” 

 

“OK...” you agreed, linking your arm in his. 

 

The two of you reached what had to be the vault; the door was probably the most indestructible thing you’d ever seen, just from one glance. Loki shut his eyes once more, and the two of you shimmered again. When you came back, you were on the other side of the vault door - Asgard’s treasure trove. 

 

“If I opened the door a siren would have sounded. Hela can’t know we’re here.” You nodded once more, gripping tight onto Loki’s arm, ready to move on. 

 

But Loki didn’t move. He was staring at you with wide eyes, his expression full of concern. “You’re being- quiet.” 

 

“No, I’m not,” you replied, and went to pull him forward into the vaults. He simply tugged your arm back to him.

 

“Yes. You are. What’s wrong?” 

 

Was something wrong? Other than the fact a battle was raging outside of the very palace you stood in. Other than the fact you hadn’t seen or even heard from the Avengers or Peter in over two months. But you weren’t worried about that; not now. 

 

Your father.

 

You were worried about your father. 

 

Was he with the other Asgardians? Was he safe? 

 

Or was he dead, along with the other Asgardian warriors that Hela had slain in cold blood. 

 

Despite everything, the abandonment, the lies; he was still your father. The man that had helped raise you for fourteen years, the man that had given you the powers that you now cherished. And he could be dead in this land, dead because you couldn’t stop the murderess. 

 

In your eyes, now, there were only two options; cower in fear, stay in the vaults or simply return to the orgy ship and stay in the shadows; or; fight.

 

Fight for your father. 

 

Fight for his home- because Asgard is his home, not earth. 

 

“(Y/N)?” Loki tugged on your arm again and you took in a breath. 

 

“Nothing. Come on- we need to hurry.” You stared at his eyes, trying your best to tell him that you weren’t fine, but that no one was right now. That to be fine, you needed to help him find the crown and cause Ragnarok. 

 

He was the one to nod now, and the two of you moved further into the vault.

 

-

 

“Selvig-,”

 

“That’s _Doctor Erik Selvig_ to you, Stark.” Tony sneered down the phone. He hadn’t spoken to Erik in years. 

 

“Sure,” Stark said, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I’m in need of your brain.” Erik scoffed down the phone.

 

“I’m sure you are-,”

 

“Look, Thor and his little brother have gone AWOL, as well as another one of my guys. Thor said Asgard was in trouble.”

 

Erik went silent for a moment, and Tony heard rustling on the other end of the line. He looked at Peter, who’s face was far more than calm. He could tell the kid was distraught- his girlfriend, or, ex-girlfriend, whatever- was missing. With two gods. One of which, tried to abduct her. Stark could cut his fear with a knife, a blunt knife. 

 

Erik was the best of the best when it came to Norse, well, _anything_. Him and Thor had dabbled, too. If anyone knew something about why Asgard was in trouble, it was him. 

 

“You still live in the tower?” Erik muttered.

 

“No- we’re upstate now-,”

 

“I don’t care. Meet me at the damn tower.” The phone went dead. 

 

Why Erik was even in the US baffled Tony. The last that he knew, Erik was a professor at Royal Holloway in England, back after Sokovia, when Thor had gone to visit him about what Wanda had made him see. Without Erik, the Avengers wouldn’t know about the infinity stones, at least not in as much detail- they had Loki to thank for that knowledge, too. 

 

Even if Loki had caused Banner to go green. 

 

Tony and Peter paced it to the tower, their hoods up and their hands stuffed in their pockets. 

 

No one knew about Loki being the cause for Banner’s episode, except Stark. If anyone found out- Thor, Peter, Natasha - they wouldn’t have had any problem with slicing his throat. 

 

Banner raged in the living room, a few of the Avengers trying to calm him down, but not Tony. He went straight to Loki’s dorm. He barged in, slamming the door shut. “You-,” Tony said, wrapping Loki’s neck in his hand. “You did this.”

 

Loki smiled devilishly, his hands still twitching from the spell he no doubt put on Banner. 

 

“Everyone has time that’ll run out.”

 

“Why did yours need to run out, huh? Why now? And _why Banner-,”_

 

“I have priorities,” Tony almost scoffed. 

 

“And stopping Thanos with us- after all you’ve told us- that’s not one of your priorities?” Loki shoved Stark away from him, dislodging his hand from around his throat. All he did was stare at Stark, his eyes not revealing anything of why the hell he did it, why the hell he changed Bruce. Tony crossed his arms, his hand dangling from his shoulders towards the floor. His heart was beating way faster than he thought it would be; but he realised something-

 

He was upset.

 

Not for himself. A little for Banner. 

 

He was upset for you. 

 

“This’ll break her.” He muttered, and Loki had to take a step back. The trickster knew who he was talking about, he knew Tony meant you. 

 

“If you tell her-,”

 

“As if I fucking would, you frostbitten dick. Do you not see how hard she tried to get you to _change_? After all you fucking put her through on Asgard-,” Loki plunged towards Stark, pushing him back into the door.

 

“If you tell her, I’ll kill you.” 

 

With that, Tony simply opened Loki’s dorm room, his face going blank. He shoved the prince out of the room and towards the back exit. “Get. Out.” 

 

Tony had managed to keep it to himself for the months after it happened. Despite all the tears, the hours of time that you spent in your dorm room, reading books or Bruce’s old dissertations about molecular distribution, or carbon engineering. 

 

“Mr Stark?” Tony was brought back to the present, though it felt like he was meeting Peter for the first time after hearing him say that. Tony blinked at him, the not kid- not anymore. They’d reached the tower, and as the two of them focused on finding Erik, he bombarded straight into them from behind. 

 

“Come on then,” Peter jumped straight out of his skin, and Tony basically did the same. “What did Thor say?”

 

Tony calmed himself down, and spoke. “He said Asgard was in trouble. They were going after Odin-,”

 

“That little bastard,” Erik interrupted. And Tony’s eyebrows travelled so far down over his eyes he practically couldn’t see. “Loki. He fucked it all up, I’m guessing.”

 

“Yeah.” Tony stuck his hands back in his pockets, Peter simply stood, dumbfounded. “You know, now that I think about it- Odin’s probably dead, isn’t he?” Erik stared at Stark, his eyes wide.

 

It was like something had clicked inside Tony, like his mind had finally found the answer. He just needed Erik to confirm it. 

 

“The books all talk about Ragnarok.” 

 

“Ragna- what?” Peter blurted out, Tony shushed the kid sternly. 

 

“The end of Asgard,” Erik cleared his throat, his eyes awash with concern, but also fear; fear for Thor and (Y/N), even Loki. “The goddess of death has come home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! That's right, I'm not dead.
> 
> I really like this chapter actually, and I've literally been writing all day, because I sent off my UCAS this morning and wanted to treat myself. I started writing a lil thing about Tony and Peter and I had NO INTENTION for it to be blowing up so much- but it is? Annnnd I'm amazed? I posted it about six hours ago and everyone had been RAVING about it and I'm honestly speechless, so yeah, I'm having a pretty nice day of reading comments and listening to music and just- writing.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Yes, I'm still alive. I'm sorry that I haven't updated this. I think I kinda lost interest, but when I started writing it again, it was like I'd never actually stopped. I don't want to make this go on forever, so I'm pretty sure that the next chapter will be it's last. But thank you to everyone who's been hoping I'd update this again. 
> 
> This was the first fanfic I wrote that I was actually proud of (the two parts, lol), so I NEED to finish it. 
> 
> And I will. 
> 
> Thank you guys for waiting patiently. 
> 
> Enjoy x

Your eyes struggled to focus as you continued on through the maze-like halls of Asgard’s vault. There were treasures wherever you looked—jewels, weapons, and—

 

“The Tesseract...” Loki spoke, his eyes trailing over the infinity stone before him. The breath got hitched in your throat as you immediately got yourself stuck in between the god and the stone.

 

“Loki, _no_.”

 

Loki’s eyes were ravenous, like he was suddenly reminded about how much he _craved_ the stone once more. Blue reflected inside his eyes, and the more you looked, the more you could see—

 

It was _space_. The entirety of space was being reflected within the God of Mischief’s eyes.

 

Loki inched closer to the Tesseract, a distraught smile plastered on his face. Slowly but surely, you began to summon the metal of the Tesseract’s podium. You willed it to cover the stone, to block it from Loki’s view. You _prayed_ that he wouldn’t notice—until it was too late, and the stone was out of his reach.

 

You clenched your fist behind your back, and the metal flung up over the stone, just as Loki thrust a dagger underneath your throat, his eyes almost black—

 

And then they began to clear. They transformed back to their normal blue.

 

You shuddered at the touch of the dagger on your neck, and Loki immediately reversed away from you.

 

“I’m sorry—,” Loki muttered. You fought to get your breath back as you curled your body downwards, clutching your heart.

 

“Don’t worry. It’s not your fault,” You spluttered out, but Loki looked devastated. He looked like he’d just hurt you; or killed you. You tried to calm yourself down quickly—you didn’t want him blaming himself for this.

 

This was Thanos’s doing. He’d got Loki hooked on the Tesseract.

“We need to get the skull on the eternal flame,” You reminded him, and his face changed immediately. He rushed forward and grabbed you, gently. He led you further into the vaults, around twists and turns that you wouldn’t remember in a million years.

 

And then the skull came into view. Loki let go of you, making sure you could stand properly. He approached the Skull of Surtur and grabbed it in one vast swoop. You watched as he fiddled with it, juggling it in his grasp.

 

He sent you a quizzical look. “I thought it would be _heavier_.”

 

You scoffed at him, and the two of you continued to the eternal flame.

 

You could feel it as soon as you’d entered the vaults, the power of the flame. It made the bones rattle inside your body, but also filled you with an odd feeling— _strength._

 

It was beautiful, to the say the least. And when you looked upon the eternal flame it washed your body with warmth, with power and prowess. Asgard had a great many treasures; but this; this was the most precious.

 

You approached it slowly; Loki followed behind you.

 

“Can you sense it?” He questioned, his eyebrows furrowed. All you could do was nod.

 

The next thing you knew, Loki’s hand was gripped around your wrist, pulling it away from the flame. You’d been so close to touching it; but you didn’t remember the journey to the flame. “(Y/N),” He chided, and you focused once more. “Are you alright?” Was that another hint of concern in his voice?

 

You shook off the haziness that the flame made you feel, and took the skull from under Loki’s arm. Without hesitation, you approached it once more, your mind completely clear.

 

Then you dropped the skull on the flame.

 

-

 

Stark followed on behind as Peter and Erik fast walked to where the car was parked. For an older man, Erik had long and strong legs. And the kid, well—

 

He was Spider-Man.

 

“What are you suggesting we do, Selvig? It’s not like we can get to Asgard—,”

 

“I’m not trying to get to Asgard, Stark. I need to get somewhere with the right equipment.” He turned around, fast walking backwards as he pointed at Tony. “That’s where your compound comes in.”

 

“What equipment?” Peter chided, Selvig turned back around.

 

“The kind that measures spacial rock movement. Specifically, the rock movement on Asgard.” The three of them reached Stark’s car and piled inside. Erik didn’t bother buckling up.

 

“Peter. Seatbelt.” Tony said. Peter scoffed. Stark looked at the kid through the rear-view mirror. “ _Seatbelt_.” Peter did as he was told. Tony started up the car. “What will rock movement measure _exactly_?”

 

Erik made a grave face.

 

“Whether or not Asgard is still standing.”

 

-

 

Loki and yourself made it to Asgard’s ship warehouse, your breath was basically non-existent, so much so that you had to stop running, just for a minute. Loki raced forward, jumping into the closest ship he could find.

 

“(Y/N)! _Come on!_ ” He yelled, and you looked up at him.

 

Suddenly, questions raced through your mind—

 

If Surtur destroyed Aagard, that wouldn’t just mean Hela’s destruction; it would mean the end of the Bifrost connection as well.

 

Not to mention all of the Asgardians still stuck on the planet.

 

_They would all die._

 

“Loki—they’ll all die.” The god furrowed his brows at you.

 

“I assure you,” he began, and you saw his eyes; they weren’t in a trouble making mood; they’re weren’t showing he was lying. “They’re probably all on a ship as we speak. Before we left Sakaar, a Kronan and his friends took the largest ship in the Grandmaster’s hangar. They plotted a course for Asgard.” He smiled at you as you clutched your ribs. But still, you didn’t get in the ship.

 

The people were safe—and with Thor as their new king, they’d be fine.

 

But that didn’t fix everything.

 

“The Bifrost.” You spoke, some of your breath coming back. “That’s my ticket _home_.”

 

Loki’s face snapped into a blank expression.

 

“ _Home?”_ He said, almost disgusted. You nodded at him slowly. He scowled at you suddenly. “A home where they still don’t appreciate you.” The ground beneath your feet rumbled; parts of the ceiling began falling to the floor. You were running out of time.

 

“ _I need to go home_ ,” You spoke, and suddenly your throat was hurting; not from the running; but from something else. “Heimdall put the sword in the Bifrost as we left for the vaults—it’s there for _me_.”

 

Loki scowled once more, his jaw clenched, his knuckles white over the ships controls.

 

That’s when a pillar tumbled over—

 

You forced yourself up with the air that surrounded you, but your landing wasn’t refined enough. The pillar tussled with the air that you were controlling, bringing you down to the ground so harshly you could have sworn you’d break something—

 

But when you opened your eyes, Loki’s arms were letting you down easily to the floor.

 

He was running out of time, too.

 

“You _need_ to get out of here—,”

 

“Come with me.” Loki spoke, his eyes staring straight into yours. You were taken aback, completely.

 

“Come with _you_?” He looked so hopeful. It felt like a knife had gone straight through your chest. “I— _can’t.”_ You whispered, and he grabbed you by the shoulders.

 

“We could get away from the imbeciles that talk down to us. The beings that believe they’re stronger and more powerful,” He paused. “Those who have _pretended_ to _love_ us.”

 

Peter. Was he talking about _Peter?_ You’d never had a love confession before, but you’d imagined it would be something like this.

 

You backed yourself away from him, not in the mood to argue. The palace was crumbling around the both of you.

 

“I’m sorry.” You said, finally. Your body hurt all over, your heart was in your stomach. And when you looked at Loki, you wished—

 

_You wished you’d never met him._


	11. Chapter 11

Loki’s face was one of the worst things you’d ever seen. His eyes were glassy, his jaw was clenched, his cheeks sunken into his skull. He looked worse than the first day you’d ever met him; when his gaze was so frightening and traumatising that you still winced thinking back to being on that balcony.

 

But— this _wasn’t_ happening.

 

You weren’t going with him. Not in a million years. Even if it pained you, even if there was still that spark inside you that wanted him to change, and thought that you could do it; that you could help him live _normally._

 

It was useless, and it always would be. You’d realised it since you were falling in that other dimension, yelling at that stupid trickster for _leaving_ , for going back to his old behaviour; for _hurting you._

 

You were too kind for your own good, thinking you could change a fifteen hundred year old Demi-god into a better person. He’d had fifteen hundred years to try and do that himself, and still he _wasn’t_ changing. How the hell could you think you’d even have a chance at making him become someone more, someone _better?_

 

Running through the crumbling foundations of Asgard’s palace, the dust burning your eyes, your limbs screaming out for some kind of relief— you were still entirely focused one getting _home_. The bridge was so close, now, just one more twist of the winds and you’d be there; you’d be at the Bifrost gate. Your eyes cleared up enough for you to see the outline of a ship in the distance—

 

Asgard in all its entirety was on that ship, along with Bruce, Thor and Valkyrie. They would be safe— _finally._

 

Behind you, you ignored the burning heat, the rumbling of the ground beneath your feet, as Surtur tore apart Asgard from the sky downwards. You could hear Hela’s screams, her spears piercing Surtur’s volcanic skin— but still, you kept running.

 

You didn’t stop—

 

Not to breathe—

 

Not to _mourn_ —

 

Not to think about your _father_ or Loki or Thor—

 

Your mind was set on one thing, and that was getting home. That was seeing Tony, wearing his classic t-shirt and blazer combo. Back to Steve, rubbing a pea drop of wax through his hair in the morning and thinking no one would notice. Nat— with her undiscovered caring side, that she only ever let out when you were alone with her, and her kickass status on the battlefield. Everyone—

 

Debs and Jason.

 

_Peter._

 

How long had it been since you’d seen all of them? Since you’d sat down at Debs dining room table and enjoyed a slice of her pie? Since you’d visited Peter at Cornell, or May at the apartment? You’d been so caught up in everything new; the arrival of Loki; Thor’s dilemma; you’d been _sucked_ into something you never fully realised.

 

And it was a miracle that you even had the chance to get home, in this moment. And you were counting your lucky stars.

 

You were fast approaching the Bifrost, your limbs screaming for a rest, your lungs _screeching_ for air. You were inside now, your eyes finding the sword in its slot, and not altering your gaze. When your fingers wrapped around the sword, it’s cold metal sending a shiver down your arms and spine, the ground beneath your feet _collapsing_ from Surtur’s wrath—

 

You twisted it in its socket—

 

The rainbow encased you once more, for the first time since you’d been chucked out into the cold vacuum of space, and landed on Sakaar—

 

And your only thought in that one moment, was how it would feel to hug Peter again after so long.

 

-

 

Erik peered through one of Bruce’s many old telescopes, his hand drawing diagrams while his eyes searched the skies. He’d been doing this for a few hours now, ever since the three of them had raced back to the Avengers compound after realising that Ragnarok was fast approaching.

 

Peter stood behind Selvig, eating a bag of chips, _extremely_ loudly. Tony stood behind the kid, his hand in its thinking position, placed just over his mouth and beard.

 

All of a sudden, Erik dropped his pencil onto the desk harshly. _“No.”_ He said, and Peter stopped chewing.

 

“What? What is it? Is Asgard still there?” Peter asked, his mouth still full of chips.

 

Selvig stayed still, his eyes out of focus. “The stars around Asgard are out of alignment,”

 

“Which _means?_ ” Tony chimed in, coming up closer to the kid.

 

Erik couldn’t look at either of them, so he settled for the floor. “Asgard has been destroyed.”

 

How had it taken them a month to work out that something was wrong? Why hadn’t someone looked into where the fuck Thor and (Y/N) had gone in the first place? Peter’s mind was pelting him with questions, his body fuming, his anger raging to the point of no return.

 

Thor had said there was trouble on Asgard—

 

They must have been headed there, to _fix this._

 

But now Asgard had been reduced to ash, the stars surrounding the city had been pushed out of alignment; and Thor and (Y/N) were _nowhere_ to be fucking seen.

 

All of Peter’s worst nightmares were coming true. Ever since he found out about you, he’d had an underlying concern. It was true that some people in this world would try to use you for your abilities; they’d try to find out how or why you had them; they’d try to hurt you for your powers; the same way people tried to hurt Peter for his own abilities.

 

But yours were different. Manipulating the elements was something often found in powerful myths; it’s always talked of a being of immense power, and only _they_ could wield all four elements. You just had to look at fictional books and TV to figure out a lot of people were interested in this kind of power.

 

Peter was raised watching those shows, being read those books, as were you. And now the both of you were living _inside_ that world. Surrounded by other beings with immense power, by people that wanted them dead, or wanted their abilities for themselves, or wanted to simply experiment on them.

 

They’d battled villains, they’d battled robots, saved the world—

 

They’d fought again themselves.

 

And now here Peter was, trying not to overflow as the anger was pulsing through his veins at the fact no one had done anything to find out where the fuck they’d gone; at the fact his best friend could be dead at this very moment; floating through space alone, and cold, and without seeing the people you loved for the last time.

 

“Kid…” Tony said, gently, but Peter was at breaking point.

 

Without hesitating, Peter swivelled round on his heels, and planted his knuckles right into Tony’s jaw.

 

_“You fucking_ _son of a bitch!_ ” Tony was too shocked to even react to what was happening, to even fight back from Peter’s yells and blows. “She was _your_ responsibility— she was in _your_ care— and you didn’t even _know_ where she was— you _didn’t even know_ —,” With every pause, Peter punched Tony in another place, his tears fully covering his face.

 

Tony didn’t retort— he took Peter’s blows as best he could. He felt the stinging after each punch, but never reciprocated. Peter’s yells turned into subtle sobs, and Stark could see his body giving up. That’s when Peter didn’t fight him—

 

The kid wrapped his arms around Stark’s neck, and Tony embraced him back. The two of them stood there, hugging each other relentlessly, as Peter sobbed into Tony’s shoulder. Stark had no idea what to feel; what to do; but he knew that he wouldn’t take his arms away from the kid, not until he wanted him to.

 

Not until he was OK.

 

-

 

The Bifrost was a literal substance of dark magic, and dark magic was fucking difficult to control.

 

The entire time you were encased inside it, the one word you kept thinking shone through—

 

_Compound. Compound. Compound. Compound._

 

You thought of the compound, the surrounding fields, the aircraft hangar, your room, the living space. You smelt ground coffee in the morning for everyone, you saw Sam reading a trashy magazine on the couch, and Wanda reading _The Great Gatsby_ at the kitchen island. Vision was cooking— or at least _trying_ to. And from around the corner, the pitter patter of sneakers was getting louder—

 

Peter would round the corner, and Steve would give him a smack on his back. “How was your lecture, kid?”

 

“As good as a lecture could be,” He’d reply, sending Cap a smirk. He’d drop his backpack clumsily on the floor and rush over to you, wrapping you up in his arms and immediately placing his lips on yours. His eyes would trace over you like you were pure gold, and you’d get all red faced and embarrassed, because Nat and Rhodey are obviously peering at you from across the room, both plastered with smug faces.

 

Bruce would come up and pull Peter off of you, wrapping his arm around Parker’s neck. “We have work to do, _Romeo_. Don’t get distracted now.”

 

You loved them all so much, and despite what you’d been through, you knew you always would.

 

Your head was spinning unbearably, you could feel yourself on the verge of blacking out. But you knew you needed to land first— you needed to know that you were home. Then you could rest easy— you could sleep properly for the first time in over a month.

 

The ground was fast approaching now, you could see the end of the road, the Bifrost markings etching into the very Earth. Your instinct made you stick out your arms for the impact, and when your body slammed against the ground—

 

You knew where you were.

 

-

 

When Tony opened his eyes, there was something in the sky.

 

The colours were all shades, shooting out in every direction. He knew that spectrum anywhere— it was the Bifrost. One he’d seen many times when Thor would jump home, when he’d arrive on the battlefield. One that he’d never experienced for himself— yet.

 

Peter noticed the rigidity in Tony’s body increase, and he removed himself from his mentor. His tear stained cheeks traced Tony’s face, following his eye line to that shooting star in the sky.

 

Erik stood up slowly from the telescope, ceasing to breathe.

 

“Is that…”

 

“ _The Bifrost._ ”

 

Peter didn’t remember running, but when he stopped his limbs were sore and tired, and his heart felt like it was going to jump out of his body. Tony slammed into his back, almost toppling him over—

 

The Bifrost hit the ground, pelting dirt up into the air in a mixture of a thousand colours.

 

When the dust cleared, and the air settled, Peter’s heart was in his throat. Lying on the floor at his feet was _you_ , your golden dress torn, the remnants of metallic make up on your eyelids, your lips, your eyes partly open. You were staring straight at him, right in his eyes—

 

“Hey, _dork,_ ” You let out, your voice coarse and croaky. That’s when your eyes overflowed with pent up tears, but your body was too drained to sob. You could feel the blackness approaching, the appeal of sleep catching up with you tenfold.

 

But just before it did—

 

Just before you blacked out—

 

You felt the familiar sensation— _finally_ —

 

Of Peter pressing his lips to your forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this took me a while to write. Sorry about that. I'm on summer vacation now which means WRITING TIME! FINALLY. I can't wait to finish all the fics I have on the go right now, and start some new ones. I'm so excited to just WRITE again, I haven't had the luxury of time to do it recently, but I promise I have it now. 
> 
> Enjoy my luvs x


	12. UPDATE

Hi everyone! Sorry for having to waste this chapter on an update; I will be deleting this later so do not worry. 

I just wanted to make it clear that this fic is still being worked upon! I've had a very busy few months with moving out into university and settling in, alongside other mental health problems and issues that I won't bore you all with! In simple terms, I just haven't had the time, energy or motivation to get my writing out there over these past months--

But I'm on the up! And over the past few weeks, seeing people still reading this series has made my heart sing. It reminded me of how it felt when I was first writing "But I though this shit only happened in comic books?" and how writing practically became my life for those two months. I really wanted to continue along with this story, I just have to work out how certain canon events will fit in now! It's exciting to simply plan it all!

So yeah, just wanted to say DO NOT WORRY! You won't be having to wait much longer-- I'm hoping to get the next chapter out sometime in the beginnings of the New Year, and I can't wait for you all to read what's in store.

Thank you for continuing to love this fic series; it's almost a year and a half old!! That's mental!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all,  
thealphadog


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